


Class I''. ' V. 
Book G 

GopglitN? IL 


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TOM WILKINS 


A Story of School Management 
and Supervision. 


By J. T. GIBBS. 


OKAWVILLE ILLINOIS 
J. T. GIBBS 
1913 


G 55 
T 


Copyright, 1913, 
By J. T. GIBBS. 



^.7-r 

©CI.A358601 


To the vast army of worthy young people 
who are striving against adverse circumstances 
to acquire an education, and to their worthy 
friends, the big-hearted teachers, this volume 
is respectfully dedicated by 


The Author. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter. 


Page. 


I. Tom’s School Days and Develop- 
ment into a Pedagogue, 5 

II. Teaching His First School, ... 28 

III. Introduction to a Course of Study, 

Some Advice, 45 

IV. How Tom Failed to Get a Certain 

Appointment, 59 

V. A Little Romance, 67 

VI. In a Graded School, 75 

VII. A Little Friction in the Upper 

Room, 84 

VIII. Professor Small, 92 

IX. Appointment as Principal. A Visit, 101 

X. The “Good Order League.” An 

Interesting Event, 110 

XI. Troubles of His Own, 121 

XII. A Little Politics, 132 

XIII. “The Renewal of Certificates,” 139 

XIV. Some More Politics, 149 

XV. Some Improvements, 159 

XVI. Institute Plans. Some Directors 

and Some Teachers, 167 

XVII. An Examination, 175 

XVIII. A Recreation. Library Plans, 182 

XIX. Difficulties for Adjustment, 190 

XX. Reflections. “What Next?” 197 

XXL A Political Trap, 204 

XXII. A Pedagogue in a Justice’s Court, 211 

XXIII. The County Graduation, 215 

XXIV. In Conclusion, 223 


TOM WILKINS, 


CHAPTER I. 

tom’s youth, school days and development 

INTO A PEDAGOGUE. 

In a quiet little village in one of the southern 
counties of the great State of Illinois, where 
the inhabitants came in contact with the great 
round bustling world very seldom, and where 
you would least expect to find anything out of 
the ordinary, lived a family of man and v ife 
and six healthy children. Their home was a 
log cabin, and was as humble as could be con- 
ceived. In the edge of a great forest which 
still held sway on one side of the village and 
came within its corporate limits, stood the little 
cabin in which, with the other members of the 
family, lived a small boy — the hero of this sto- 
ry, if indeed he may be called a hero y you must 
answer that after you have finished the perusal 
of these pages — at least the boy without whose 


6 


TOM WILKINS. 


existence these pages would never have been 
written. 

He was not an extraordinarily bright boy, but 
possessed habits, or rather acquired them, of 
carefulness and earnestness in his work. His 
father was a mechanic and knew the value of 
training his boys to do something well. There- 
fore our hero early had tasks assigned him, and 
was held strictly accountable for their faithful 
performance. He was not permitted to go skat- 
ing with the other boys of his age, for instance, 
until his kindling was in the wood-shed and e- 
nough wood split to fill the requirements for 
the day. In the summer time he was permitted 
to enjoy the pastimes of fishing, bathing, boat- 
ing, etc., after his chores were properly per- 
formed. 

Ye, whose minds are pedagogieally inclined, 
pause a moment and think whether this disci- 
pline was not the very best to bring out what- 
ever there may have been good in that young 
and growing character. Think whether or not 
this discipline was the cause of the formation of 
habits of industry and carefulness that should 
be useful ever after. 


TOM WILKINS. 


7 


As before stated, the father was a mechanic, 
but nevertheless the family lived poorly enough, 
for the opening of our story was in that period 
of financial depression and uncertainty imme- 
diately following the great Civil War. It was 
“nip and tuck” to secure the necessities and a 
few of the comforts of life, while the luxuries 
were not to be thought of except as something 
inaccessible to their humble station. 

It was in these circumstances that we find our 
hero, Tom Wilkins, an unassuming, only semi- 
attractive boy about nine years old. It was as 
one of the plainest dressed boys in the school 
that he. was found daily in his seat and at work. 
Hard work it was for the frugal parents to fur- 
nish him the necessary books and supplies. But 
he toiled away and kept up with his classes, hav- 
ing become so accustomed to his patched trous- 
ers that they did not keep him from reciting his 
lessons as well as any in the class. While his 
condition was not much worse than . that of a 
great many others in the school, it was as bad 
as any, and there were a few of the sons and 
daughters of luxury in the same school who 
seemed to think that the sole object for which 


8 


TOM WILKINS. 


schools were established was that they might 
show their fine clothes, and in this they were 
often encouraged by their indulgent parents. 
For a time this worried Tom, but a lucky pro- 
motion from one class to another for meritori- 
ous work, and a kindly, sensible talk by the 
teacher on the merits of earnest work, and how 
industrious effort will win its way whether the 
worker wears fine clothes or not, caused him to 
get the germ of an idea into his head that may- 
be he could be of some usefulness, in spite of 
his humble situation. 

Of course the teacher touched rather lightly 
upon the subject of fine clothes, and probably 
but few of the pupils besides Tom got the point. 

The teacher herself was attired very plainly, 
and owing to circumstances which she had never 
been able to control, had always been so, even 
her ‘^Sunday BesF’ being quite plain in the 
eyes of the world. 

It was this feeling of fellowship between her 
and Tom as much as anything else that caused 
her to allude to it at all, and the reason she did 
not impress the point more closely than she did, 
was, perhaps, because some of the best dressed 


TOM WILKINS. 


9 


children in the school were from infinential fam- 
ilies, and if they should carry home a tale, as 
children will, and distort it somewhat, as chil- 
dren will, and make the parents believe that the 
teacher had set a special merit upon rags and 
kept their pupils from progressing just because 
they wore better clothes than the teacher did, 
she might be in danger of being called down by 
the aforesaid parents, as well as of losing her 
position, in which event her own clothing would 
necessarily become plainer and less plentiful 
besides. Oh, how often the dread of losing our 
positions causes us to do things we ought not to 
do, or not to do things that we know to be our 
duty! 

Tom often felt depressed, however, but it al- 
ways had the effect of causing him to resolve to 
do something and be something in this world, 
and to better his own condition if studious hab- 
its would help him any. And he was convinced 
that they would. What a victory it is for a boy 
to come to the thought that he can by his own 
individual efforts make his life easier and more 
useful ! 

We have now passed over a period of Tom’s 


10 


TOM VvTLKINS. 


life which was spent in the elementary branches 
of stndy, and find him a boy of fifteen, fairly 
proficient in the common branches, and anxious 
to see into some of the elementary sciences. His 
close proximity to the true field of scientific in- 
vestigation — the wild and natural forest and the 
undulating meadow land — was of inestimable 
value to him. For when he had his first lessons 
in Natural History, he perceived that some one 
had only written down in a book what he, him- 
self, had observed many a time in the ^woods. 

During some of his leisure time he took occa- 
sion to look over a copy of a work on animals, 
and hunted out the treatises on those wdth 
which he was most familiar, and was much 
pleased and stimulated to find that his first im- 
pressions of Natural History were correct. 

Tom had had a hard struggle, but now he had 
the satisfaction of knowing that he was one of 
the best pupils in the school. When, the next 
year, two of his school-mates entered college, 
they left the highest place to Tom. He had 
some feelings of regret at not being able to fol- 
low them, but he knew that was impossible, for 
the family, while in some better circumstances, 


TOM WILKINS. 


11 


were still poor, and could not spare the money 
necessary to go to college, where train-fare, 
books, board and better clothes would be ex- 
pensive. 

The teacher who had had charge of the village 
school for several years was a man of fairly 
good training, who had been educated in one of 
the eastern cities and brought with him some 
new ideas on teaching, and some of these im- 
pressed Tom, who had now arrived at the age of 
observation. One of these points was the close 
analysis of problems in Arithmetic. His ever- 
lasting “WhyT’ in every process became just a 
bit monotonous at times, and had bored many a 
pupil to the point of disgust, but now Tom saw 
that that was a good thing, and he began to see 
the work of a teacher in a different light. 

He saw that a teacher might be of great help 
to a pupil by causing him to find out things for 
himself, and that that process would make the 
pupil really more able to help himself. One 
other good trait about this teacher was his utter 
disregard of the pupiPs station in life. The 
finest dressed pupil in the room was no more to 
him than the boy in rags, it was the intellectual 


12 


TOM WILKINS. 


ability and industry of the child that won hon- 
ors. He had a way of stating this fact, too, 
that made Tom feel happy. He would often 
say: 

“Now, boys, it does not matter in the least to 
me what your circumstances of life may be, 
whether yon be wealthy or poor, whether you be 
well dressed or ragged, you may learn and learn 
well if you apply yourselves to the task before 
you. You must remember that there is no roy- 
al road to knowledge, but all must pay the price 
of an education, and that price is hard work.’’ 

Facts which are strictly true and which added 
to Tom’s determination to do something and to 
be something in this world yet in spite of his 
humble birth. 

This teacher, while he had high ideals of 
teaching, was still of the old school, and be- 
lieved that to spare the rod is to spoil the child, 
and acting on that theory many a time and often 
did he administer to the lads of that school the 
necessary chastisement which must come when 
“forbearance ceases to be a virtue,” as he often 
stated just previous to wielding the birch over 
the unlucky shoulders of some urchin who had 


TOM WILKINS. 


13 


broken some minor rule of the school. 

And, as will always be the case, certain of the 
urchins who had been chastised for things that 
justly called for punishment, and while still 
smarting under the lash, discovered that they 
could torment their teacher, and studied up a va- 
riety of mischievous little tricks, which, while 
they were not positive violations of any set 
rules, were still vexatious, and as a result of 
these little tricks, scarcely a day went by with- 
out one or more of the boys receiving a sound 
trouncing, which as time went on got to be very 
monotonous and ineffectual to a degree. 

Tom often wondered if there were not some 
other way of keeping boys in line than by con- 
tinually flogging them. And while he had, him- 
self, not altogether escaped chastisement, still 
he had not suffered severely, he wondered if a 
great deal of it were not a waste of time and 
temper. 

One other point Tom gained from this partic- 
ular instructor, who, while he was one of the 
best that had ever taught in that community, was 
somewhat of a politician, as we have been told 
every teacher must be who holds any given po- 


14 


TOM WILKINS. 


sition for any considerable number of years, and 
often mixed with the promiscuous population 
and indulged in the sports and pastimes of many 
of those who seemed to have no other purpose 
in life than to get all the amusement possible 
out of existence. And, naturally, their style of 
amusement led them to social games, and the so- 
cial glass followed, and our teacher who was a 
model in many respects, fell into temptation 
and often came to school blear-eyed, and with a 
strong scent of alcohol pervading his immediate 
atmosphere, as a result of the previous even- 
ing’s debauchery. 

Tom was of an age now to notice these things, 
and unlike some boys of that critical period of 
life, instead of having a desire to do as his 
teacher did, he mentally condemned such prac- 
tices, and resolved that if he ever taught school 
— and the thing was beginning to so far shape 
itself in his mind that it was no longer among 
the improbabilities — he would never permit his 
pupils to detect the scent of alcohol on his 
breath. 

This teacher, being, as we have said, some- 
what of a politician, and seeing that his style of 


TOM WILKINS. 


15 


government, while correct in theory and strict 
enough to produce good effects, was at the same 
time alienating the affections of a number of 
those who had smarted most under the lash in 
the earlier years of his rule, and they were now 
growing into manhood, and would soon be 
eligible to vote for school-directors, and would, 
in all probability, one of these days, elect a 
board that would replace him with another teach- 
er, not because he was no longer efficient, but 
just because they held a sort of grudge against 
him for old memories’ sake, and would get even 
with him at the first opportunity. 

When this condition dawned upon the unlucky 
pedagogue, he redoubled his attentions to the 
social table and the social glass in the hope of 
overcoming the influence of these boys, or of 
winning them over to his side in case a contest 
came which might involve his position, doing 
many times what his better judgement told him 
was wrong, and partaking of the vulgar jokes 
of those whom he designed to win. But true to 
the social rules of this life, when a good man 
espouses evil for the purpose of making it bet- 
ter, or more subservient to him, the reverse oc- 


16 


TOM WILKINS. 


curs, and the evil gets control of him and uses 
him for its purposes. 

So a few more terms along this vacillating 
course, paying about as much attention to local 
politics as to his school, and the crash came, and 
a board was elected that was expected to leave 
him out in the cold, cold world. Ah, yes, but 
such had been his partisan services that one of 
the officers at the county seat called him to be 
his deputy, and from that he developed into a 
county politician and secured one of the offices 
for himself and, running the whole gamut of 
wickedness and debauchery, became popular for 
a time with certain classes of “politicians,” who 
in this particular county, as in many another, 
have more than their share of political influ- 
ence. But even such influences lose their po- 
tency after a time, and our former respectable 
teacher flnds himself a political outcast. Oh, 
yes, but he can get a school, as one of his 
friends said to him soothingly when the con- 
vention turned him down. Such is too often 
the opinion, that when a man runs out of every- 
thing else, he can teach school! A fine com- 
mentary on you, my worthy pedagogical friend 


TOM WILKINS. 


17 


who really spend your time in improving your 
mind and your usefulness ! 

But let us not leave our unfortunate teacher 
without again referring to his school work. At 
a time when his political enemies were pressing 
him hardest, trying to elect a hoard that should 
displace him, he had a confidential talk with 
Tom, and advised him to take the County Super- 
intendent’s examination, and secure a license to 
teach. He was sure that Tom could pass. He 
had a two-fold object in thus luring Tom on and 
he hoped that he would respect his wishes in the 
matter, and he really felt certain that Tom 
would pass, for he was easily the brightest pupil 
in the school, and the superintendent was a new 
incumbent and felt grateful to this particular 
community, for his majority had been larger 
here than in any other part of the county, and 
the superintendent was to a considerable extent 
indebted to this very teacher-politician for a 
good part of that majority. Besides, it would 
be quite an advertisement for the teacher to 
have one of his ‘^boys” pass the examination 
and receive a license to teach, having learned it 
all in that particular school presided over by 

T. W.-2. 


18 


TOM WILKINS. 


that particular teacher. See? 

The other object he had in view was to hind 
the influence of Tom’s father in the approach- 
ing school election. Did you ever know affairs 
to take such a turn as that in any other commu- 
nity? Yea, verily, if you have ever been on the 
“inside track.” 

Tom told his father about his teacher’s ad- 
vice, but as the family could not easily spare the 
money necessary to flt him out in a new suit of 
clothes and pay his transportation expenses and 
examination fee, the matter was dropped for 
that time. 

In the mean time the spring approached, and, 
as Tom was now of a size to be of considerable 
use to his father, he was put to work, and be it 
said to his credit, made a good summer of it, 
and in the fall had enough pocket money to 
keep him through the winter. When the fall 
term of school opened Tom was ready with his 
books and one of the first to greet his new teach- 
er. 

In getting acquainted with his pupils this new 
teacher took an inventory of the various books 
used by the various pupils, and not having a 


TOM WILKINS. 


19 


classification record of any kind, had to plod a- 
long the best be could and trust to luck as much 
as to sense to locate tbe pupils properly. Have 
you ever done tbe same? All right, then, you 
know all about it. 

When be came to Tom’s list, be noted : 1 

Ray’s Higher Aritbmetie, 1 Tenny on Animals, 
1 Physical Geography, 1 Steele’s Fourteen Weeks 
in Philosophy, 1 General History, 1 Brief His- 
tory of the U. S., 1 Clark’s Normal Grammar, 
and the list caused him to open his eyes in de- 
light for he had hoped he would have an ad- 
vanced elass to teach in order that he might be- 
come more proficient in those branches himself. 
Of course the old maxim is true that by teaching 
others we also improve ourselves, and it is right 
that we should grow more proficient in a branch 
that we are teaching j but is it quite right for us 
to undertake to teach a branch of which we know 
but very little, in order to become proficient? 
Well you have your standard of the ethical side 
of this question and I have mine and I hope we 
are willing to let it go at that. I am, are You? 

This teacher was willing to let it go at that, 
and would have gladly done so, had he not dis- 


20 


TOM WILKINS. 


covered that there was one book which he had 
neglected to take note of. And that was an Al- 
gebra, What a dark scowl covered those al- 
ready dark features, for this new teacher had 
never looked inside of an Algebra. And there 
suddenly loomed up before him the possibility 
of not being able to handle the subject at all, 
and what humiliation for him in the eyes of the 
school and the community to be forced to admit 
that Tom Wilkins was somewhat proficient in a 
single branch that the teacher knew nothing of ! 

He was not long in making up his mind what 
to do, however, and quietly informed Tom that 
he was already so far advanced that it was next 
to a waste of time for him to go to that school, 
and if he were in Tom’s place he would try to 
go to some college or high school. A slick way 
out of it ! Give him credit for his sagacity. 

It had the effect on Tom that it was intended 
to have, for while the teacher was not well up 
in Algebra, he was almost a Past-Master in the 
study of human nature. Tom lost control of 
himself temporarily and really believed that he 
was too smart to go to that school. When he 
went home he told his father about the occur- 


TOM WILKINS. 


21 


rence. The proposition to go away to school 
conld not be thought of. There was some more 
work to do and Tom conld help do it. This he 
did, and as he did everything else, did it well. 

When the fall work was finished, Tom shoul- 
dered his ax and went to the woods, and helped 
get up enough wood to last the next summer, 
enjoying the diversion very much. A good 
number of hunters going by where Tom was at 
work, caused him to think some of trying his 
luck in pursuit of game. He procured a gun 
and the necessary accoutrements and started out 
for game. Luckily or unluckily for him the 
game seemed quite shy and his usual day’s kill- 
ing scarcely paid for his ammunition, while he 
was putting in his full time and sole-leather, to 
boot. Being somewhat philosophically inclined, 
he soon figured that he was constantly playing a 
losing game. 

The winter was far spent. Tom had often 
thought of his books, though he had studied but 
very little. But the thought of the approach- 
ing examination, and the knowledge that some 
of his young friends were going to try the ter- 
rible ordeal, caused him to debate with himself 


22 


TOM WILKINS. 


whether or not he should do the same. He de- 
cided that he would, and from that day on he 
worked busily, reviewing everything that he 
had ever studied and learning many things that 
he had never studied. 

Examination day came at last. Tom was 
there ready for the work, with his mind care- 
fully stored with everything that he thought the 
superintendent would ask about. For he had 
been warned that he would have to meet the 
superintendent on his own ground, and might 
expect to ‘‘run up against’ ' several things he 
had never heard of before. And he did ! And 
he failed. And that failure was the making of 
him for school work. For it caused him to set 
a resolution to have that certificate yet. And 
you know that when we really desire a thing in 
an educational line we are on a good road to se- 
cure it. 

So Tom went to work again, not so much be- 
cause he wanted to enter the profession as to 
demonstrate his ability to pass a successful ex- 
amination. He worked day and night with an 
earnestness he had never before felt, and at the 
end of another month was ready for work again 


TOM WILKINS. 


23 


on those dreadful examination questions. 

He had profited greatly by his former exami- 
nation and guarded against such mistakes as 
were due to carelessness or overconfidence, con- 
cluding that it would be impossible to make his 
statements too plain, as the examiner must take 
the answers for what they said to him. It 
dawned upon him that although he knew a thing 
perfectly well, the examiner could not give him 
credit for it unless he told it in unmistakable 
language. This precaution was worth a great 
deal to him, for he went home from that exami- 
nation feeling much better, but at the same 
time doubtful as to whether he had passed. 

After a tedious wait of about two weeks Tom 
was gratified to receive his first certificate to 
teach school in the county of his birth. Happy, 
well yes. You know just how it was if you 
have ever been there j but if you have not you 
will be obliged to use your imagination to come 
to some realization of how he felt, and then 
yon will only partially know. 

It is safe to say that this first certificate gave 
him more real pleasure that any that he ever re- 
ceived afterward, though he was destined to re- 


24 


TOM WILKINS. 


ceive several others and of higher grade than 
this one. It is just as Pope says, ‘‘tickled with 
a straw.’’ But as straws show which way the 
wind is blowing, so this straw shovred which 
way this youth was tending. 

His parents were proud of him, his friends 
congratulated him, while some of his slightly 
jealous school friends called him “Professor,” 
thus early in life. Such a habit people have of 
bandying that worthy appellation which only a 
few may wear worthily ! These things bothered 
him little, however. His practical turn of mind 
soon put him to looking for a school. 

He interviewed several directors of district 
schools, finally placing his application with a 
newly-elected board in a newly-organized dis- 
trict. He waited patiently, and now that he 
had gone so far in search of a school, he would 
often lie awake at night and dream himself suc- 
cessful, and even began to plan what he would 
do with his first month’s salary, which, if he 
received the amount he asked for, would be the 
biggest thing financially he had ever attained to. 
Ah, those waking dreams, how they do affect us ! 

After reviewing the penurious life he had 


TOM WILKINS. 


25 


lived, the prospect of drawing a stated sum and 
so large a one from the public treasury every 
month, and that during the winter months, dur- 
ing which time he had formerly earned nothing, 
was to him a bright prospect indeed. We won- 
der if all teachers have not had just about such 
dreams during the period from the time the first 
precious certificate arrived to the time of spend- 
ing the salary. 

One day Tom was met by a member of the 
aforesaid board of directors, who said to him : 

‘‘Well, Tom, the board had a meeting, and 
agreed to hire you to teach our school next win- 
ter, to begin the first Monday in October and 
continue five months. We fixed your salary at 
thirty dollars a month, the amount you asked 
for.’’ 

“Thank you, very much,” said Tom, “I am 
sure I shall try my very best to teach you a good 
school. I shall be ready when the time arrives.” 

“Oh, we don’t doubt,” said Mr. Director, 
“that you will do all right. You see ours is 
only a small school, and most anybody could 
teach it, but the law makes us hire some one 
who has a certificate ’ ’ 


26 


TOM WILKINS. 


If Tom had been vain, this conversation would 
have had a tendency to relieve him of some of 
his vanity, but he said : 

“While I am very glad to know that I have 
the school, just out of curiosity, I should like 
to know whether there were any other applica- 
tions for that school.” 

“Oh, yes, there were a number of applica- 
tions.” 

“Might I ask,” said Tom, “how it happened 
that I, who have never taught, was selected 
from the list and awarded the school?” 

“Oh, well, yon see, your bid was the lowest, 
and the board thought that in justice to the tax- 
payers, they ought to let the job out to the low- 
est bidder. There was one application from a 
teacher who has taught five years and some of 
the board favored him, but his bid was for thir- 
ty-one dollars, and we gave the school to yon.” 

What a fall was taken out of Tom’s vanity, if 
he had any, for he had rather thought that the 
director would say something about having 
known him a long time, and knowing him to be 
a diligent student and one who wanted to do 
what is right, had given him the school on his 


TOM WILKINS. 


27 


merits. But now the secret was out. He was 
hired simply because his bid was the lowest ! 
He found later in life that while this was a 
young school board, being the first in the new 
district, they had acted along the very lines that 
govern many an old board that has hired teach- 
ers for a quarter of a century. 

This gave Tom something to think about for 
some time, and he did not like the thought the 
best in the world, either. But like many anoth- 
er teacher — yourself, perhaps, for instance — he 
finally allowed the thought to smother away, 
concluding that as he had contracted to teach 
the school he should be as good as his word. 
And besides, if he did not take this one, where 
would he secure one, and would he get any bet- 
ter salary! 


28 


TOM WILKINS. 


CHAPTER 11. 

TEACHING HIS FIRST SCHOOL. 

The first Monday in October came and Tom 
was ready to go to his work. *He had looked 
forward to the time with pleasant anticipations 
for many months, and pictured himself starting 
off sprightly in the balmy air of a bright Octo- 
ber morning, with the last birds of the season 
chirruping merrily as he sped along the road 
that led down to District 6. 

Alas ! how many of our hopes are in vain ! 
How often we picture coming events as we 
would have them, only to find them, when we 
do come to them, entirely different from what 
we had expected. 

This was Tom’s fate. For this first Monday 
in October was a dull, cool, rainy, drizzling day, 
that would take the heart out of the bravest. 
Tom trudged along as merrily as possible, but 
the road was muddy and the nearly three miles 
to the school house seemed to him much farther. 
Several times he sat down to rest, not being ac- 


TOM WILKINS. 


29 


customed to that kind of physical exercise, but 
he would get up quickly and start on with the 
thought that they (his pupils) would all be there 
waiting for him, and he did not want to be late 
the first day. 

Tom arrived at the school house in good time, 
found himself the only one present for it was 
yet a full half-hour until the time for beginning 
the exercises of the day. Placing the key with- 
the lock, he opened the door for the first time 
to take charge of a school as the master thereof. 
He threw open the shutters and proceeded to 
make a fire in a little coal stove that was to do 
duty for several years. 

Every nook and corner of the cozy little room 
received attention, and plans were being made 
for the work of the classes, but not a pupil had 
yet arrived. The fire had burned readily and 
he threw open the stove door and taking a chair 
sat down before the cheerful blaze to await de- 
velopments. He had not waited long before the 
door opened timidly and in came a little boy a- 
bout seven years old with a book, a slate and a 
little dinner pail. At least he should not have 
to spend the day alone. He proceeded to get ac- 


30 


TOM WILKINS. 


quainted with the hoy, who though very back- 
ward, was still interesting. He greeted him 
with a cheerful ‘‘Good Morning, little boy,’’ and 
received in reply a very respectful “Guten Mor- 
gen, Herr Lehrer.” 

So now they were acquainted, and Tom was 
acquainted with a fact he had evidently never 
taken into consideration, and that was the pos- 
sibility that most of his pupils would probably 
speak a dijfferent tongue from his own. 

Presently two little girls came to the school, 
and that number were all that registered in Dis- 
trict No. 6 on that first day of the first school 
the district ever saw. 

Tom talked to the pupils quite a good deal, 
one of the girls speaking his language quite 
well, and thus improved his acquaintance. The 
rain, which had been a drizzle in the morning, 
came down heavily toward noon, so that one of 
the patrons came just at noon to bring a pail of 
dinner to the little girl who lived upon the hill 
near the school house, but who would have been 
drenched had she been permitted to go home for 
her dinner. 

The exercises of the day consisted chiefly in 


TOM WILKINS. 


31 


reading by the one pupil who could read a little 
and attempts at mastering the alphabet by the 
other two. For Tom was not a Normal gradu- 
ate and did not know that is not proper to teach 
the alphabet the first thing. He was taught 
that way, and all the teaching he had seen was 
done that way. He did not debate with himself 
whether that were the right way. He just took 
it as a matter of fact and proceeded to help them 
master the twenty-six letters with which they 
would have to work all the rest of their natural 
days, if they did anything in a literary line. 

Notwithstanding that it all went slowly and 
oddly enough, this first day finally ended, and 
at four o’clock Tom closed the shutters and 
started for home through more mud than he had 
encountered on the morning trip. For Tom 
boarded at home. His plan was to make the 
trip out and back every day. What a blessing 
to a teacher to be able to board at home ! 

Though Tom did not know this, he escaped 
the many ills that itinerant teachers are heirs to. 
For he had not taken up lodgings with one side 
of the district to the disgust of the other side 
who might think that he should have boarded 


32 


TOM WILKINS. 


with them. Many of you who read these pages 
know something about this to your sorrow, do 
you not? 

Perhaps, gentle reader, you think too much 
prominence has been given to this first day in a 
school of only three pupils. We do not think 
so, for, since the day of his birth, this was the 
most important day in Tom’s life, and the mem- 
ory of it has lived with him much more minute- 
ly than is here chronicled, forming a bright 
spot to which the mind might revert when great- 
er cares held him in their power, always with 
pleasure and amusement. 

The days passed on smoothly enough. The 
school filled up more in a few days, though the 
enrollment did not exceed a score during the en- 
tire term. Tom often wished that he might 
have a larger school, not fully realizing what a 
blessing it was to him to have plenty of time to 
fix his habits of teaching rightly, and devote as 
much time as he found to each individual pupil. 
His opportunity for observing the results of his 
methods was good and he profited greatly by it. 

The matter of discipline was of the least con- 
cern to him, for his pupils were all of German 


TOM WILKINS. 


33 


descent, ajad many of them the children of par- 
ents who had crossed the briny deep to find 
homes in this free America, and had settled in 
this newly-opened district to work out their 
fortunes by tilling the virgin soil. They had 
brought over with them the ideas of the promi- 
nence of that worthy person, the “Herr Lehrer,” 
that they had been trained to recognize in the 
Fatherland. 

So Tom found his pupils most respectful and 
obedient. Every evening they took their books 
home with them, and gathered around the table 
after the supper dishes were cleared away by the 
careful housewife and her helpful girls, they 
learned their lessons for the next day. Under 
these circumstances, it is little wonder that Tom 
found his school progressing very nicely, and 
was often surprised to see how well they had 
done when he assigned them harder lessons than 
usual. 

Of course, he received very little help from 
the members of the families at the pupils’ 
homes, except in the way of encouragement, for 
very few of them were any more proficient in 
the English language than the children were. 

T. w.— 3. 


34 


TOM WILKINS. 


But on the other hand, he did not find. his work 
meddled with by over-officious parents, or his 
methods criticised by persons who were no bet- 
ter trained than he was. He had full sv/ing 
and was heartily supported in whatever he un- 
dertook to do. 

Do you wonder that under these circumstanc- 
es Tom was able to do a great deal of good in 
this community? Later in life he found himself 
in circumstances where he knew the unlimited 
support of the patrons of the school would in- 
crease his usefulness ten-fold. And his mind 
ran back with grateful thoughts to District 6. 
How glad he was that his first few years of 
teaching were spent in that community. For if 
he had encountered some of the things that 
crossed his path later in life, before he had ac- 
quired such a deep and lasting love for teaching, 
he must certainly have given it up as a bad job. 

But in gliding a bit into the future as a point 
from which to look back at Tom, we must not 
forget that bright sunny days did come in that 
delightful month of October. Days when his 
heart was light and he sped along the country 
road cheerfully and as happy as ever he found 


TOM WILKINS. 


35 


himself even in much more exalted positions 
later in life. 

A meeting of the County Teachers’ Associa- 
tion attracted his attention. He thought that it 
would be a good thing for him to attend, and 
besides the Superintendent had said that these 
meetings were full of good things for young 
teachers as well as for older ones. 

He arrived at the county seat in company with 
a number of other teachers full of anxiety to 
know what there was there for him. With both 
eyes and both ears open, he entered the strange 
room timidly, and seeing the room quite well 
filled with persons nearly every one strangers to 
him, and the exercises being in progress, he 
slank down into the first seat he came to and sat 
as still as his agitated nervous system would 
permit him to. 

He felt very much out of place and could 
scarcely get the run of the high-fiown statements 
that were being made by Professor So-and-So, 
who, it seemed to Tom, had had a world of ex- 
perience, and made statements that were wholly 
incomprehensible to Tom. He told just how to 
do things in ways that Tom did not under- 


36 


TOM WILKINS. 


staled, for lie had been engrossed in his own 
humble work under circumstances that were in 
some particulars different from those of most 
every other school in the county. 

Isn’t it true that each individual school is a 
little different from every other school in some 
of its particulars, notwithstanding the fact that 
certain general observations may be made for all? 

The afternoon session proved more interesting 
to Tom, partially because some of the talks were 
more in line with something that he knew some- 
thing about, and partially because he felt a lit- 
tle easier after . getting acquainted with a num- 
ber of the teachers. Taking it all through, the 
day seemed profitable to him, if for no other 
reason than that he saw there was a great gulf 
between him and some of the older teachers 
who wore the appellation ‘‘Professor,” 

While at this meeting he heard some of the 
teachers discussing privately the merits and de- 
merits of the meeting, some of them expressing 
themselves contemptuously and giving him the 
impression that they would not have been there 
if they were not afraid the Superintendent 
would not be pleased, and perhaps give them 


TOM WILKINS. 


37 


a little uneasiness about the renewal of their 
certificates. Some also thought that Professor 
So-and-So had just tried to ‘^show off’’ and 
make people believe that he was smarter than he 
really was, intimating that what he had said 
contained a good deal of theory which he had 
never had really tried himself, and had only 
guessed what effect it would have on a school 5 
that his school was not so much better than oth- 
ers after all. 

All these things caused Tom to think, and 
really that is one of the best things for us to do. 
It is those things that make us think most that 
are most valuable to us. He did not know but 
that if he attended many meetings he might be- 
come critical as some of these teachers were, but 
he tried to resolve in his heart that he would 
never attend any meeting just because the super- 
intendent might wish him to, or might be dis- 
pleased if he did not. If he could find no high- 
er motive than that he thought he had better 
stay at home. What think you, gentle reader? 

One impression that Tom took home with him 
was worth the trip. That was a realization of 
his own unpreparedness when compared with 


38 


TOM WILKINS. 


others to whom he had listened. This realiza- 
tion caused him to make a resolution that he 
would let no time pass in trying to become big- 
ger in an educational sense. He resolved to 
take up a course of study and prosecute it as 
thoroughly as he could. Besides, he sat down 
at once and wrote an order for a school journal 
that had been recommended to him by the super- 
intendent. Every evening after supper he 
might be found at his desk digging away at 
some abstruse problem in mathematics, or fol- 
lowing out some campaign in history, or trying 
to solve the riddle of some intricate analysis in 
grammar. 

When the first number of his school journal 
arrived, he proceeded to see what was in it. He 
read every word in jt, even to the advertise- 
ments, before the end of the week. In the ad- 
vertising columns, he found mentioned several 
helps that he thought would be useful to him in 
his word, and a few books on teaching. Anoth- 
er order was the result, and soon he had the be- 
ginning of a pedagogical library which has 
since grown in size until it contains the best 
thoughts of ancient and modern educators. 


TOM WILKINS. 


39 


From one number of his school journal he 
got the idea that a small library in his school 
would be of great benefit to his pupils, as well 
as to help him to make the work interesting. 
He secured a list of books adapted to pupils of 
the various grades, and selected from it a few 
books and bought them for the school. He se- 
lected only a few books for he expected to pay 
for them himself, and while his prospective sal- 
ary had seemed very large to him, the real sala- 
ry was not so big as he had expected, after his 
expenses were paid. This was the beginning of 
a library that has since been greatly augmented, 
and which has had a great infiuence over the in- 
habitants of that district for a number of years. 

So the winter months wore away pleasantly. 
Tom was never absent from his school, or tardy, 
although some of the mornings were bitterly 
cold or dreadfully rainy. He knew that when 
he once reached the school house he could soon 
have a cheerful fire and settle himself for an a- 
greeable day. 

As the spring began to approach and also the 
time when he should close his first term of 
school, he received notice that he had been as- 


40 


TOM WILKINS. 


signed a subject on the program for the next 
meeting of the County Teachers’ Association by 
a committee, as he afterward learned, who de- 
sired to initiate some of the new recruits, as 
well as to give a part of the time to the older 
‘‘Professors.” This was quite a surprise to 
Tom, who, at first thought, was sure he could 
never face that august body of teachers and say 
anything at all. Why he had been almost too 
timid to even enter the room at the last meeting ! 

After thinking over the matter a few days, he 
began to be less timid and really decided that 
he would write something on the subject and see 
how it would sound to himself w^hen read. He 
had had considerable composition work to do 
while in school, and found writing a rather 
pleasant task, though he knew his flow of lan- 
guage was not the choicest. Still he went to 
work, and at the end of a few days had prepared 
an article of several pages which pleased him 
greatly. He read it over often, and became 
quite familiar with its contents, when, one day, 
the thought came to him that it would be just 
as easy for him to commit the article to memory 
and recite it to them. This he decided to do. 


TOM WILKINS. 


41 


During the noon hour he often strolled down 
the road for recreation. About a quarter of a 
mile north of the school house was a small 
wooden bridge over a little stream, where he 
had often sat for a quarter of an hour in the 
bright sunlight of the lengthening spring days. 
Here he went to rehearse his ‘Apiece,’' with the 
weeds and dry stalks of last year’s corn crop as 
his auditors. Over and over he repeated it un- 
til every line was perfectly familiar to him. 

When the day for the meeting of the Asso- 
ciation arrived, he was at the station with oth- 
ers waiting for the train to bear them to the 
county seat. This time he entered the room in 
which the meeting was held much less timidly 
than before. As he watched the program, he 
saw that his time to ^ ^perform” would soon ar- 
rive, and the thought of it made him shiver. 
Have you ever been there! Well, you know all 
about it. 

Presently the president called his name. He 
stood up mechanically, advanced nervously to 
the front of the room, turned facing the assem- 
bled teachers and thought that he must fall, and 
might have done so but he had stopped just in 


42 


TOM WILKINS. 


front of the first row of seats, and by a lucky 
accident got his knee against the seat and braced 
himself. He began timidly, and spoke rather 
rapidly at first (just as yon did, perhaps, your 
first time) but got better command of himself 
as he proceeded, finishing without a break and 
seating himself, red-faced and perspiring, amid 
the applause of the whole assembly. Be it said 
that the applause was as much due to the youth- 
fulness of the performer as it was to the per- 
formance itself. 

This little incident put him in a good frame 
of mind so that he got much more out of what 
was said afterward than he did out of anything 
that had been said while he was waiting to ad- 
vance to the ‘‘firing-line,’’ as the soldiers put it. 
He carried away some good impressions from 
that meeting, some that were of real value to 
him, for a great many of the rank and file of 
the teachers had told of their experiences, and 
they were so much like some of his own that he 
felt greatly encouraged by them. 

But time rushed on relentlessly, as it has a 
distressing habit of doing. (It will depend 
somewhat upon your own individual age wheth- 


TOM WILKINS. 


43 


er you fully appreciate this statement or not. If 
you are young and gay and anxious to arrive at 
at the perfection of manhood or womanhood at 
the earliest possible moment, you may not think 
the statement is entirely true, but if you have 
passed a score and a half of years and find sil- 
ver threads glistening among the black, brown, 
yellow, golden hairs — I don’t know what color 
they are on your individual head, but you do — 
you know too well that the above statement is 
vividly and distressingly truej that you are 
rushing onward in your career with your life- 
work only partially finished.) 

Well, as we said, time rushed on and the last 
day of Tom’s first term of teaching was rapidly 
approaching, was really present, and he was 
turning the key the other way in the lock that 
secured the front door, and going out into the 
wide world again, just as you have done after 
every term you have ever taught, and will con- 
tinue to do if you continue to teach. 

Tom’s directors gave him his last order, and 
told him that they wanted him to come back in 
the fall and teach their school another term. 
He felt very grateful for this recognition of his 


44 


TOM WILKINS. 


work, and promised them to do so, and thus 
ended his first experience as a teacher. If that 
had ended his career, this history would never 
have been written. 


TOM WILKINS. 


45 


CHAPTER III. 

INTRODUCTION TO A COURSE OF STUDY, SOME 
ADVICE. 

Tom spent the summer at work. But he also 
found time to study, and often reviewed the 
work of the previous winter in the little school 
in District 6. He saw several points that could 
be improved upon another year, and by careful 
reading of school journals and works on peda- 
gogy, he began to shape his plans for the next 
year. 

While industriously employed during the day, 
he found a great deal of time for study during 
evenings, and many an hour was spent over the 
writing table that stood beside the improvised 
book-case that occupied one corner of his bed- 
room. Still as busy as he was, he found time 
to attend the County Institute that was held at 
the county seat for one week. This was full of 
thought and inspiration for him. The superin- 
tendent was a kind, mild-mannered gentleman, 
who, while he was a very good officer, still had 
about him an air of uncertainty, and would 


4G 


TOM WILKINS. 


often remark, when touching upon a point that 
had been brought to his attention : 

‘^Well, now, I am not quite sure about that 
matter. It seems to me that is correct, but I 
shall have to look it up again when I go to the 
office.” 

This uncertainty gave Tom another thought. 
If those who are at the head of the educational 
system of the county are in doubt and uncertain 
as to various things pertaining to the schools 
and education, it was entirely excusable in 
him to be somewhat in doubt himself. But the 
thought rather stimulated than discouraged him. 
He thought that while he might go through life 
in doubt on some points, there were still many 
others of which he could be certain. 

The instructors who were employed to work 
in this Institute were good, earnest school-men ; 
men ripe in experience ; men who had given the 
best years of their lives in solving the problems 
of education; men whose characters were pure 
and whose motives were lofty. And while they 
had not yet arrived at a panacea for all the ills 
to which educators are natural heirs, they had 
undoubtedly made the way easier by giving 


TOM WILKINS. 


47 


largely of their experience for the guidance of 
the younger teachers. 

It is true that there seemed to he an air of 
partiality for the graded schools, and it seemed 
to Tom that a great many things were shown to 
the primary teachers, and to the teachers of the 
— th grades, that on account of the elaborate- 
ness of detail with which they were given, were 
next to impracticable in a rural school of mixed 
grades, and especially in one where the matter 
of grading the school had been neglected by the 
teacher in a desire to get at each pupil individu- 
ally. 

Of course, come to think of it, Tom’s school 
was partially graded, and he began to wonder if 
he could not increase his own efficiency by try- 
ing to get nearer some recognized standard. 
But how to proceed ; that was what puzzled him. 
He thought that he might gain some points by 
asking other teachers what they were doing. 
After interviewing several, he discovered that 
there were no two alike. While one teacher has 
his third reader pupils doing work in fractions, 
another was still wrestling with multiplication 
and division with pupils of the same age. While 


48 


TOM WILKINS. 


one teacher had his third year pupils handling 
an elementary text in geography and reading 
some delightful historical stories as supplement- 
ary work, another was devoting his entire ener- 
gies to the three R’s. 

This information left Tom somewhat confused. 
He wondered if there were not a true standard 
of advancement somewhere, that should be log- 
ical and pedagogical, and he wondered, too, how 
far he was from the standard. 

What a glorious thing it was for Tom that 
these reflections came to him at this time of 
life ! He spent a great deal of his study time 
in reflecting over this very subject. He looked 
back at his little school, took up the pupils in- 
dividually and was astonished to And so lop-sid- 
ed a system as he had inadvertently drifted into. 

But he had never thought of this while teach- 
ing, and no one had ever told him of it. The 
superintendent had only viewed his school su- 
perficially, and had not noted these irregulari- 
ties, or if he did, thought they were no worse, 
perhaps, than most of the other schools of the 
county. 

After the Institute, from which he went home 


TOM WILKINS. 


49 


considerably puzzled as to bow would be tbe 
best way to bring bis school to some kind of 
system, be studied and read as mueb as be could. 

He did not neglect bis social opportunities, 
however, and being quite energetic for one so 
young, was tbe subject of remark at more than 
one dinner table or fire-side. Some of those 
who bad sneered at bis pretentions to teaching, 
who bad asked jestingly, “What good ean come 
of tbe carpenter’s son?” began to see in him a 
model that their own children might follow with 
profit 5 if not a model of perfection, at least a 
much better example than many that they knew 
of. 

He bad a warm plaee in tbe. hearts of tbe 
young people, being present at many a social 
gathering. His deportment being always man- 
ly and genteel, be was esteemed wherever be 
was best known. 

In tbe bright month of October, be again 
journeyed down to Distriet 6, to open school for 
bis second term. How glad be was to get back ! 
It seemed to him like getting home from a long 
journey. 

He went to work at once to try to systematize 

T. U' — 4 . 


50 


TOM WILKINS. 


his school and made some progress, hut still he 
fell short of the success he should have liked to 
attain at many points. 

Men seldom act or think entirely alone. 
Things that were distressing him had been dis- 
tressing many others. The lack of system in 
the rural schools had been noticed and lamented 
by many a teacher who had received pupils from 
other districts into his own, and noted the dif- 
ference between those schools, as judged by the 
progress of the pupils, and his own. 

One county superintendent in the great state 
of Illinois had brooded himself gray-headed ov- 
er this very subject. Finally, to relieve him- 
self and the schools of his county, he issued a 
‘‘Manual and Guide,” in which he outlined the 
work of the pupils by years, telling exactly how 
much of each branch pupils might be expected 
to master in a given year. He had often talked 
of this to his teachers and they heartily sympa- 
thized with him and agreed to try to work to 
his Manual the coming year. 

How did Tom know all about this? Why, he 
was a very close reader of one of the most pro- 
gressive school journals in the state, and the 


TOM WILKINS. 


51 


matter had attracted so much attention that the 
editor gave his readers the whole plan, outlin- 
ing certain years’ work to make his article plain. 
He stated, moreover, that wonderful results 
were being attained, and that several of the 
neighboring counties contemplated adopting the 
same Manual, for, they argued, what is a bless- 
ing to the pupils of Macon County, will be a 
blessing to our own. 

So Tom lost no time in sending for a copy of 
the Manual, which he studied carefully. He 
took it to the school-room, and referred to it 
often in the course of the year’s work. When 
the superintendent visited his school that term, 
Tom called his attention to it, referring to some 
point that he had not been fully able to bring 
his school up to. 

The superintendent took the book into his 
hand, turned it over critically, looked through 
it and said : 

believe I have a copy of this manual in 
my office, if I have not destroyed it. I think 
the author sent me a copy, but I have never ex- 
amined it very closely. I’ll look it up when I 
go back to the office, and write you about the 


52 


TOM WILKINS. 


point you refer to.’’ 

How like many a superintendent! A good 
thing came to the office but received a chilly re- 
ception. Not because the superintendent did 
not want to progress, but because he imagined 
he could not find the time to look over every- 
thing the enterprising publishers were sending 
out. 

Tom worked away as v/ell as he could, doing 
everything that he knew of to make his work 
better. When spring arrived, he had saved e- 
nough of his salary to enable him to attend a 
spring term at college. He went off joyously, 
resolving to make the best of the time, for he 
knew that his limited purse would not permit 
him to waste any time. Before leaving, howev- 
er, he contracted to return to District 6 again in 
the beautiful month of October and begin an- 
other- term of school. 

This pleased him greatly, causing him to feel 
that his efforts to give his patrons a good school 
had been partially successful. He had v7orn off 
some of his timidity, too, and had asked the 
board to raise his salary to thirty-five dollars a 
month. This they had done with a little hesi- 


TOM WILKINS. 


53 


tancy. So you see Tom could leave home in 
the best of spirits. Even if he spent every 
cent of his savings, he knew he had a school to 
come back to in the fall. 

At the college he met a number of other 
teachers, who, like himself, had closed their 
short winter terms and taken advantage of their 
opportunity to refresh their minds in a whole- 
some review. Their acquaintance was of much 
benefit to Tom, and especially their recitations, 
for they gave him an opportunity to measure 
himself in comparison with other teachers. 
The work was different from what he had had 
in the public school. The lessons were much 
longer and considerably harder. Explanations 
were made to the whole class, and those who did 
not pay close attention to the work would not get 
much out of it. Tom was a good student him- 
self, and, besides, had the good fortune to room 
with a young man who was known to be one of 
the best students in the college. This young 
man gave him much encouragement ; was really 
of as much help to him as the college, itself, 
was. He showed him that diligent application 
is the price of success in the educational field. 


54 


TOM WILKINS. 


Many a night did Tom pursue his studies to 
the midnight hour. He could begin to see what 
great effort, and what numberless sacrifices were 
necessary to succees. The work of one of the 
literary societies made a most favorable impres- 
sion on him. Taking it all through, this short 
period at college was of great benefit to the 
growing mind of our energetic young teacher. 

One strong impression Tom received from the 
work in college, and one which went with him 
through life, was that he must work out the ed- 
ucational problems for himself. He might get 
all the help in the world but he would still be 
obliged to put his own brain to the rack to mas- 
ter the work. Thorough assimilation came only 
as a result of steady application. He had re- 
impressed upon him the truth of a statement 
made by his politician- teacher, before men- 
tioned, that no one can study for you, but you 
must do the work for yourself. 

At his age this made impressions that were 
bound to be of great use to him in the future 
and to the schools in which he worked. A good 
infiuence is as surely shed abroad as a bad one, 
though perhaps it does not attract as much im- 


TOM WILKINS. 


5.3 

mediate attention. Years after, Tom had the 
satisfaction of knowing that the constant refer- 
ence to this fact in his classes made such im- 
pressions on some of his pupils that they devel- 
oped into very industrious young men and 
women. 

Commencement day arrived and Tom was 
much impressed with the exercises attending it. 
The president’s address was full of wholesome 
thought for every one. Tom did not let it all 
pass without getting something to take with him 
into the wide world. When he returned home 
he was more thoughtful and earnest than ever. 

Although he had his school engaged, he made 
arrangements to attend college another year. 
His directors unwillingly let him olf . This year 
was full of good things for him. He returned 
and was again appointed teacher of the school 
in District 6. 

One regret he had was that he should not be 
permitted to return to college another year and 
continue his studies. This, however, he knew 
was impossible, for he had engaged to teach in 
District 6 again, and besides he did not have 
the money to defray another year’s expenses. 


5G 


TOM WILKINS. 


But he thought these things need not keep him 
from studying at home. As the professors had 
told him and as he found true by observation, 
he would have to dig it out for himself anyway, 
and he may make the best of his circumstances, 
and go on with the studying he had been doing 
the past two winters, with the added enthusiasm 
his work at school had given him. 

At the superintendent’s examination that fall, 
he passed a successful examination for a first 
grade certificate, and was greatly pleased to re- 
ceive it, but not so exalted as he had been to 
receive that first certificate a little more than 
three years before. 

Owing to the fact that Tom had earned pro- 
motion from the ranks of the second grade 
teachers to the ranks of the first grade teachers, 
he was praised by his admirers, and they were 
many. His standing in the councils of the 
Teachers’ Association was established and his 
appointment as member of the executive com- 
mittee of that organization was a just recogni- 
tion of his faithful work. 

It was at one of the meetings of the associ- 
ation that he purchased a book of questions and 


TOM WILKINS. 


57 


answer^ from a fellow teacher, who combined 
the agency business with his teaching to in- 
crease his scanty income. The agent- teacher 
had taught for a great many years, and in get- 
ting acquainted with Tom, asked him where he 
was teaching. Tom told him, and he said: 

‘‘Well, young man, let me give you a little 
piece of advice. While the little country school 
is a most enjoyable institution to work in, I 
should advise you not to spend your days in 
teaching from one district to another on the 
meager salary usually paid as I have done. I 
have taught near a score of years and am no 
better fixed financially than I was at the end of 
the first term. While my services should be 
worth more than those of a new teacher, I find 
that rural boards seldom take previous service 
into consideration, so that if I want a school, I 
must accept it at the price paid raw material or 
go elsewhere. So, now while you are young, 
take my advice, and work up in the profession.’’ 

Tom thought over this often. He tried to 
reason out the causes for this teacher’s failure 
to reach a living salary. He thought he could 
detect evidences of discouragement, and a lack 


58 


TOM WILKINS. 


of the real spirit to rise. He tried to convince 
himself that the teacher was somewhat to blame 
for his own misfortune. But still the action of 
the board that first hired him came into his 
mind causing him to think that there is some 
ground for the view the teacher-agent had taken 
of the matter. He decided that it would do him 
no harm to try to work up in the profession. 

Tom found later in life that the advice given 
him freely was worth more to him than the 
book he purchased. 


TOM WILKINS. 


59 


CHAPTER IV. 

HOW TOM FAILED TO GET A CERTAIN APPOINT- 
MENT. 

Tom was a human, and therefore more or less 
of a dreamer, one who often looked into the 
future and pictured things as he would desire 
they should exist. 

During the winter months he often thought of 
the advice given him with the hook he pur- 
chased, and pictured himself as principal of the 
village school in the town of his birth. The 
board of directors of the village school was com- 
posed of two business men in the strict sense of 
the term and one wealthy gentleman who, while 
he practiced law as a recreation, spent most of 
his time looking after the numerous farms that 
his frugal father had left to him at the time of 
his demise. This member of the board was al- 
so somewhat of a politician and widely known 
over the county and throughout the legislative 
district, having represented his district in the 
state legislature. Tom and his immediate friends 
had always been faithful adherents to the cause 


GO 


TOM WILKINS. 


of this director in his political canvasses. Nor 
had they any cause to regret it, for he was a 
man of considerable ability, and ably represent- 
ed his constituents. 

There was considerable friction in the village 
schools that particular winter. Enough at least 
to cause the board to decide to change principals 
for the ensuing j^ear. This director thought 
that there was no reason why Tom should not 
have the place. He held a first grade certificate 
and had had splendid success in his little school. 
He had satisfied himself of the fact that Tom 
had been successful by interviewing one of the 
directors of District 6 who was also a tenant on 
one of this Director’s farms. 

One day this director hinted at the subject to 
Tom, who, while he had aspirations for the 
place some time in life, had no immediate no- 
tion of applying. But the matter being brought 
to his attention by one of the directors, he con- 
sidered it worthy of his notice. So, after going 
over the situation with his friend on the school 
board, he decided to apply. His friend agreed 
to make a special plea to the board in his behalf. 
He visited the other directors, was received 


TOM V/ILKINS. 


61 


kindly, but not encouraged in tbe least. One 
of the directors, a very shrewd business man 
and a warm personal friend of Tom, advised 
him to wait a few years before aspiring to so 
great a task, arguing that he was full young to 
assume the control of so large a school, finish- 
ing by saying that he really believed it would be 
for his own personal good to withdraw his ap- 
plication and continue his work in less arduous 
fields until he was more mature. 

Tom decided that this was good advice, and 
was about to act upon it when he chanced to 
meet the other Director, who, on being told of 
Tom’s inclination, would not hear to it, saying 
the matter could yet be fixed up. So Tom let 
matters take their own course, and the result 
was that he was not appointed, but spent anoth- 
er term in the cozy little school house in Dis- 
trict 6. At the board meeting in which Tom’s 
application was rejected, the members got into 
quite a tangle from which it seemed they were 
not going to extricate themselves easily. Each 
member had a favorite for the place, no one 
seeming willing to give up for the others. As 
a compromise, a young lady was hired as prin- 


G2 


TOM WILKINS. 


cipal who had never really applied for the place, 
having been an applicant for the next room, the 
one in which she had taught for several years, 
but to which she was not re-appointed because 
one of the directors had a cousin who wanted 
that place, and she got it. 

Oh, yes, things have taken that turn in more 
districts than oii^e, as you very well know, if you 
have ever given the matter any thought. 

The young lady, who was so unexpectedly 
made Principal of the school, was quite well ed- 
ucated, would have given the best of satisfac- 
tion had she been sufficiently supported by the 
board, but each member being defeated in his 
design to land the position for his favorite, tem- 
porarily lost interest in the success of the school, 
saying, when any little matter was brought be- 
fore them, ‘‘Well, I did not favor her appoint- 
ment. I wanted So-and-So to get that place, but 
I got turned town. Now they will have a chance 
to see what they have done.” 

Each tried to lay the blame on the other two. 
Not a new thing, either, is it? Only one result 
of the lethargy on the part of the board could 
be expected. The pupils soon saw that the 


TOM WILKINS. 


63 


teacher was practically unsupported, and their 
actions were not always as correct as they 
should have been. 

There is a restless element in most schools 
that would just as soon not study as to study, 
while there is also an element that wishes to 
learn to be useful, but are easily overcome by 
their love for a good time, and trifle away many 
an hour in doing things that are of no benefit 
to the school. There is also, most always, an 
element, though usually a small one, who come 
to learn, who mean to learn, and who can not 
be kept from learning, even if the rest of the 
school is idling. 

Matters drifted from bad to worse until every 
one knew that Miss Principal was a failure so 
far as that room was concerned, though she had 
been eminently successful in the next room the 
year before. A few persons correctly surmised 
that the board was largely to blame for this 
state of affairs, and some even hinted at the 
matter to one member of the board. It pro- 
duced no immediate effect, however, and the 
term worried through with very little good for 
the school as a whole, though a few pupils, who 


64 


TOM WILKINS. 


could not be held back by circumstances, made 
good progress. 

The spring election in that district retired one 
of the directors, who had had more criticism for 
the manner in which the school had failed to 
thrive than he thought he deserved, and refused 
to serve the district further. Another sensible 
gentleman was elected on the board to fill his 
place, and applications were being received for 
the various positions. Tom had viewed the sit- 
uation from afar, as it were, and mentally con- 
gratulated himself that he had not been ap- 
pointed, though at the time he had felt his dis- 
appointment keenly. He had no thought now 
of trying to secure a position in that school, 
contenting himself with the quietness of the 
little rural school. 

Soon after the election, the board met for or- 
ganization, and the situation, present and pros- 
pective was reviewed. The newly elected member 
stated that in his opinion the most of their 
trouble came from a lack of harmony on the 
part of the members of the board, saying also 
that in the interest of the schools he could work 
with any member, even so far as to assist in 


TOM WILKINS. 


65 


carrying out measures of which he did not ap- 
prove, so long as they were the wish of the ma- 
jority of the board. This reasoning soon 
gained him the confidence of the other mem- 
bers, who were equally anxious to escape anoth- 
er year of criticism. Before that meeting ad- 
journed, it was resolved and put down in the 
minutes, that any action taken by a majority of 
the board is the action of the board and the re- 
responsibility for that action would be shared 
equally by every member of the board j and it 
was also resolved that the board should give 
the teachers their entire sympathy and do every- 
thing in their power to make the ensuing school- 
year successful, and thus atone in some measure 
for the failure of the last term. 

One day the director who had so kindly ad- 
vised Tom to withdraw his application the pre- 
vious year, met Tom and told him of the action 
of the board, suggesting that he might receive 
an appointment as assistant principal if he made 
application for it. Tom did not know about 
that. He could not keep out of his mind the 
trouble that the school had had the year before. 
Before they parted, however, Tom agreed to in- 

T. W.— 5. 


66 


TOM WILKINS. 


terview the other members of the board. 

As a result of that interview he placed his ap- 
plication with the clerk of the board, and at the 
next meeting was awarded the position. The 
principal appointed was a young man full of 
ambition, a young man of exemplary habits 
and good education.. A man who was firm and 
decisive in his work, who expected the strictest 
obedience on the part of the pupils. These 
were strong points and Tom was glad to be as- 
sociated with a character of this kind in the ed- 
ucational field. 


TOM WILKINS. 


67 


CHAPTER V. 

A LITTLE ROMANCE AND A BRIGHT-EYED LITTLE 
MAIDEN. 

While Tom had attended the little village 
school under the care of the politician-teacher 
referred to in a previous chapter, there had also 
attended a bright-eyed little maiden of about 
his own years. She was intelligent and refined, 
a good student and a companionable school- 
mate. In moderate circumstances, she enjoyed 
the best social standing in the little village. 
Her gentle manner and sweet face won her 
friends everywhere. No one ever received an 
unkind word or criticism from her. Under 
these circumstances she was a general favorite. 
Never was there a gathering of the young folks 
without her presence, and she entered into the 
sports and pastimes of the young with a zest 
that made her a most welcome guest. 

She did not look down upon the struggling 
Tom in his patched trousers, partly because it 
was against her code of ethics to look down 
upon any one, and partly because she recognized 


68 


TOM WILKINS. 


in the humble youth a strong mental activity. 
They often met and chatted on just such sub- 
jects as school children are apt to talk about, 
and the friendship that existed was of that gen- 
tle kind that is scarcely noticed by the rest of 
the school. The fact is, that at that school there 
were a goodly number of the sensible class of 
young folks, who could recognize the rights of 
any one to courteous treatment despite the fact 
that some were better dressed than others. 

While Tom did not obtrude his attentions 
upon the little maiden or upon any other in par- 
ticular, he grew to be as popular with the girls 
of the school as any other. One of his close 
campanions was the son of a wealthy family, 
who also attended the same school. These two 
boys played together, fished and hunted togeth- 
er and, in fact, spent much of their liesure in 
company with each other. 

Many a time they escorted a group of the vil- 
lage girls to an old-fashioned spelling-match, or 
to a social gathering at the home of one of the 
girls. As Tom’s friendship for the afore-men- 
tioned maiden began to be noticed by the other 
young folks, they took particular delight in get- 


TOM WILKINS. 


69 


ting them together as much as possible, and in 
a game of “pleased or displeased,’^ would in- 
variably assign them some innocent task to per- 
form to the great merriment of the others. 
They deported themselves in such a manner as 
to bring expressions of approval from their fel- 
lows. 

Often each was seen in company with some 
other companion for an evening’s entertainment, 
lest they might get the charge of being too ex- 
clusive. While neither of them had ever said 
a word to make the other believe that a special 
feeling of regard was being cultivated, they 
both knew intuitively that they enjoyed them- 
selves more in each other’s company than either 
did in the company of some one else. 

Do you not know, gentle reader, that there is 
a sort of mental communication that tells one of 
appreciation or the lack ot it without any words 
being spoken? Yes, you know it, of course. 
So does every one else. 

While Tom, during his teaching, was social 
with all the young ladies of his acquaintance, 
and the little maiden was likewise social with 
all the young gentlemen of the village, and 


70 


TOM WILKINS. 


while each often indulged in the pleasure of the 
company of others, yet each knew instinctively 
that their very happiest hours 'were spent in 
company with each other. 

Many a time they strolled to the wood-land 
near by, and picked the brightest flowers of the 
spring, engaging in that happy conversation 
that made the hours fly past with distressing 
rapidity. Or, perhaps, they attended services 
in the little church that the village folks in their 
worldliness almost neglected. 

While their hearts beamed with happiness that 
knew no bounds, and with a mutual regard that 
was pure, yet neither had ever breathed a word 
to the other that should convey in language — in 
spoken language — what the language of the 
heart knew perfectly. This was because Tom 
was too timid, and the little maiden felt satis- 
fied to share the companionship of the one she 
regarded most highly in the quiet manner they 
were enjoying. 

Never did Tom win a fresh success but he re- 
ceived her praise, and congratulations. She 
watched his career earnestly from the time he 
opened his little school in District 6, and was 


TOM WILKINS. 


71 


proud of every item of his success, So in sym- 
pathy was she with him that she gave him every 
encouragement that would make him more use- 
ful. She heartily commended his course in at- 
tending college, even though it should deprive 
her of the occasional evening they were accus- 
tomed to spend together. 

Tom took a lively interest in her fancy work 
and such other things as she did in the way of 
useful employment, and the days passed by hap- 
pily, oh, so happily. You know all about it! 
Yes, but still you love to read it over, do you 
not! The world loves a lover and his love. 
Their little world loved them and showed them 
every courtesy. Happy youth ! In the spring- 
time of life, when the pure blood courses rapid- 
ly in the veins and the heart beats warmly, giv- 
ing cheer to all within reach of its rays of in- 
fluence j when the thoughts and hopes are bright- 
est! You Ve enjoyed them! Then thank God 
that you have, and that their pleasant remem- 
brance shall cheer you along the path of life and 
form a pleasant spot to which the mind^s eye 
may return with joy to see something pure and 
true, after you have made a wider acquaintance 


72 


TOM WILKINS. 


with the ways of the world and found to your 
sorrow that there is a great deal of gloss and 
glitter beneath which there is a world of cor- 
ruption, deceit and treachery. If you have 
found these things to be true, too, you all the 
more appreciate the pure and noble friendship 
of a charming little maiden who did everything 
she could for your happiness, and thought and 
expressed pure, noble thoughts, hoping in real 
earnest for your welfare. 

There is only one feeling that will always 
wish for you the best in life. There are many 
others that will appear to your face to be inter- 
ested in your welfare, while behind your back 
they are trying to undermine your superstruc- 
ture and let you fall ignominiously. Some 
of these latter feelings are envy, jealousy, am- 
bition to reach something with you in the way — 
oh, you say we need not enumerate them ; you 
know them. Well, then, we will desist and ex- 
tend to you our sympathy. 

The feeling the little maiden had for Tom was 
not one of these latter. You may guess what it 
was (or rather is, to be more grammatical) — 
well, well, you’ve guessed it already. Either 


TOM WILKINS. 


73 


you are very good at guessing, or we have made 
it plainer than we intended to. 

This intimate acquaintance with one so fair, 
so true and so worthy, did not prevent Tom 
from studying and reading. On the contrary, 
it rather stimulated him in his desire to do 
something and to be something in this world 
for himself — and perhaps another, but he 
thought this in a whisper j for, as we have told 
you several times, he was somewhat timid. 

However, despite his timidity, he had mus- 
tered the courage necessary to face that awful 
superintendent and collect himself sufficiently 
to receive a certificate. Later, he had returned 
from an examination which resulted in his re- 
ceiving a certificate of the first grade, and now 
he thought he should work up the courage nec- 
essary to unburden his heart to the little maid- 
en and ask her to share his joy and sorrow dur- 
ing their natural lives. But no, the words 
would not come ! Been there? It does seem 
as if I am telling you a great deal that you al- 
ready know. Well, I hope you are happy in 
the knowledge. 

But Tom just couldn’t make his resolution 


74 


TOM WILKINS. 


stick, and thus we must leave them in this chap- 
ter, with hearts in true sympathy and with an 
understanding of each other’s wishes, and yet 
with the words unspoken, the words that mean 
so much to all of us at times. 


TOM WILKINS. 


75 


CHAPTER VI. 

IN A GRADED SCHOOL. 

As stated in a former chapter, Tom was suc- 
cessful in securing a position in the public 
schools of the little village of his birth. He 
appreciated the honor included in the appoint- 
ment, and was resolved to give the patrons and 
directors no cause for regret at having placed so 
much confidence in him. His salary, too, was 
increased, a fact which pleased him much, and 
besides, the term was longer. He had never 
taught more than five months each term in the 
country, while the term in the little village ex- 
tended over nine months. 

He saw that his salary would be sufficient to 
allow him to devote the entire vacation to study, 
instead of having to hustle the summer through 
to keep from going ‘‘broke” before the first 
month's salary should become due in the fall. 

We wonder how many teachers who teach 
short terms at low salaries manage to save 
enough to tide them over the long summer 


76 


TOM WILKINS. 


montlis, without having to devote their time to 
some other work. 

On the first Monday in September, Tom was 
at his desk ready for business. He felt some- 
what lost when the school was called, for he had 
a large room-ful of pupils. The number was 
so much greater than he had been accustomed to 
that he did not know what to do first. However, 
getting his wits together, he gave them a short 
introductory talk, after which he called out the 
most advanced Arithmetic class in the room, 
proceeding to catechise them. He explained 
to them that it would be necessary to find out 
what they knew so that he should be able to be- 
gin his work properly. A lot of close questions, 
well selected, and dealing with the more funda- 
mental operations soon convinced him that he 
should have to devote some time to a wholesome 
review, and convinced them, too, that they were 
far short of what they should be in parts of the 
work which they supposed they had finished. 
Many of them looked shame-faced at not being 
able to answer questions that they knew they 
should be able to handle. 

Tom did not realize at the time what a good 


TOM WILKINS. 


77 


thing it v/as for him that he did his first ques- 
tioning so shrewdly. He had captured that 
class for all time, had shown them where they 
were deficient, had gained their confidence by 
standing up before them without a text-book to 
assist him, and pouring in the questions with a 
rapidity that fairly dazzled them. At the first 
recess, some of the larger boys of the room 
gathered in little knots to discuss the new teach- 
er, as boys will do. 

“Well,^^ said one of the boys, “he showed 
me that I do not know much about Arithmetic, 
and he seemed perfectly at home in that review. 
I should like to know the subject as thoroughly 
as he does.’^ 

“So would I,’’ said another, “and I don’t see 
any reason why we should not if we do our 
part.” 

Most of the boys agreed to this as they passed 
on to the school-ground for a little recreation 
and to continue the discussion of the new teach- 
er. There they met a number of upper-class 
boys who were discussing the new principal in a 
similar manner. They agreed that there would 
be no nonsense about the school this year, for 


78 


TOM WILKINS. 


they were going to have to work to keep up with 
their classes. One or two of the boys who came 
to school just because they were compelled to, 
or because going to school is easier than sawing 
wood, seemed rather discouraged at the prospect 
of really having to do some work in school, and 
consoled themselves with the thought that this 
state of affairs would not last long. These new 
teachers would get off the fence” as they ex- 
pressed it, as soon as they had “showed off” a 
little. But their predictions failed. When 
the school was called in again another siege of 
questioning was begun in other branches. Les- 
sons were outlined, and work assigned for the^ 
morrow. A strong hint was dropped that they 
would be expected to do the work, and be pre- 
pared at the time the class was called. 

And so it happened that Tom established him- 
self in the new school much more successfully 
than he had expected to do, but it soon dawned 
upon him that now, that he had set so smart a 
pace, he should be compelled to keep it up, or he 
would lose some of the prestige he had gained 
that first day. He worked diligently at home, 
carefully going over each lesson to guard a- 


TOM WILKINS. 


79 


gainst being caught on something on which he 
might not be prepared for the moment. 

Of course the new teachers were talked about 
at the homes of the pupils in the evening. Per- 
sons who some years ago had rather scoffed at 
the idea of Tom Wilkins teaching school now 
began to say, “I told you so,'’ and expressed 
themselves as otherwise satisfied or delighted at 
the thought that the winter was not to be wast- 
ed as the former one had been. The school 
board was particularly delighted, for they felt 
that hiring a teacher is a great deal like buying 
lottery tickets j you never know before hand 
whether you have a winning number or a blank. 
The winter previous they had rendered the 
school almost blank by being at loggerheads 
themselves. Now they were happy. So was 
the little bright-eyed maiden aforementioned, 
for she had watched anxiously for the opening 
of the fall term of school, and listened eagerly 
for the first echoes from the school-room. And 
greatly pleased she was to overhear some little 
girls at noon saying that the new teacher was 
just fine. 

Tom's acquaintance with the Manual and 


80 


TOM WILKINS. 


Guide stood him in good stead, for the new 
principal had prepared an outline of the work to 
be done in each grade, and had furnished copies 
of it to the teachers. This was something de- 
cidedly new and novel for this school, which 
had heretofore stumbled along as best it could, 
without any system at all. Each teacher took 
his classes over so much ground as he saw fit to, 
or as they were able to manage. And it had 
often happened that particularly bright pupils 
had been coached and promoted as the individ- 
ual teacher saw fit, or saw that such a course 
would work to his personal temporary advan- 
tage. There were four rooms in the building, 
but instead of having a graded school it was 
more like four separate schools, and pupils were 
often promoted because of size or because of the 
crowded condition of the lower rooms. 

Now all this had been changed and pupils 
were to be promoted by the principal only after 
having completed the specified work. This 
seemed to Tom much better, for it put system 
into the work. Promotions were to be made on 
merit and not on fine clothes or curly locks. 
(How apt teachers are to thinlv that pretty, at- 


TOM V/ILKINS. 


81 


tractive, neatly dressed children are brighter 
than their mere unfortunate neighbors— espec- 
ially some teachers ! From what you have seen 
of Tom, do you think he was of that class?) 

The manner of coming into and going out of 
the school house had also been changed. In- 
stead of a grand rush for the doors at the ring- 
ing of the bell calling in the pupils, they were 
formed in lines at appropriate places, and at a 
given signal marched into their rooms. Like- 
wise on leaving the room for the intermissions, 
they were required to do so in an orderly and 
systematic manner. This was so entirely differ- 
ent from any thing that the community ever saw 
before that some of the citizens wondered if the 
new teachers were not trying to make soldiers 
of the pupils, and that too in a time of the most 
profound peace. 

The work of the school went on gloriously 
that winter. The pupils soon adjusted them- 
selves to the new order of things, and the pro- 
gress made by the school was greater than had 
ever before been achieved in a single year. True 
there were a few little episodes that required the 
new teachers to show that they meant just what 


T. W.-6. 


82 


TOM WILKINS. 


they said about the matter of discipline, but 
they did not seriously disturb the usual quiet 
of the school. Tom noticed with pleasure that 
the new principal did not believe in the promis- 
cuous use of the rod in governing the rougher 
element of the school. Every one was given to 
understand that the price paid for the privilege 
of attending that school was the strictest kind 
of obedience, and things went on reasonably 
smoothly. This contrasted radically with the 
tactics of the teacher-politician mentioned in a 
former chapter, and Tom was pleased with the 
change. 

Somewhere in his reading Tom had imbibed 
the idea that in order to become a good com- 
mander, one must learn to obey. So while he 
did not always agree with the principal upon the 
expediency of doing certain work a certain way, 
still he did not oppose it or refuse to do .as he 
was bid, for, he argued with himself, if he were 
principal he should want his plans fairly tried 
even if those whose duty it was to try them, did 
not at all agree with thern. . This lesson absorbed 
so early in life did him a great deal of good 
later. 


TOM WILKINS. 


83 


This term of teaching was almost as good for 
Tom as a corresponding time spent in college 
would have been. Here, while he was constant- 
ly refreshing his mind, he was also gaining 
very useful points in pedagogy from his own 
work and from observation of the work of oth- 
er teachers. You know that one may be told 
just how to teach under all circumstances, and 
yet not be a successful teacher until he has had 
practical experience. It is just like shoeing a 
horse. You may read all the works extant upon 
the art of horse-shoeing, but you will never 
make a horse-shoer until you have really shod 
a horse. And, in all probability, even though 
you may make an average of 100, plus, in a 
written examination, you will fail to make a 
complete success of it the first time you under- 
take to do the work. 


84 


TOM WILKINS. 


CHAPTER VII. 

A LITTLK FRICTION IN THE UPPER ROOM. 

The work of the year went on smoothly, as 
noted, and when spring came Tom felt that he 
had rendered good services for the amount he 
had received, and that he had been greatly ben- 
efited by his contact with his fellow teachers. 
He realized now more than ever the utter lone- 
liness of the rural teacher, with no one to talk 
to on school subjects, no one to advise him ex- 
cept the superintendent on his annual visit of 
a few hours. Here he met the other teachers 
frequently and many subjects of interest to all 
were discussed in such a manner that all re- 
ceived a great deal of good out of them. 

When it came time to appoint teachers again, 
the board was in such a high state of satisfac- 
tion at not having been tormented by dissatis- 
fied patrons, and so thoroughly pleased with the 
progress the school had made that the same 
corps of teachers was appointed for the next 
year. 


TOM WILKINS. 


85 


Tom spent his vacation in recreation and 
study, attended the Institute, and noted with 
interest that the Manual and Guide had been 
taken up by the State Teachers^ Association and 
revised and enlarged. He secured a copy of the 
revision and went over it carefully, noting the 
changes as compared with his former Manual. 
Many profitable points were picked up from this 
and from his reading of educational literatui*e. 
He had begun to think that he could not be 
nearly so successful as he had been without the 
helpful influence of his favorite school journal. 
What a mental condition that is to get into ! To 
think that one could not teach school without 
reading “some old school journal,’’ as some ex- 
press it! Ridiculous, isn’t it? Some do. get 
along without it. . But do they ever really reach 
that higher plain of intellectual delight that 
Tom did ? . 

There is very little to record concerning the 
next winter’s work, further than to say that the 
school went on smoothly in the. main and made 
more progress than it did the year before, be- 
cause the teachers and pupils were better ac- 
quainted with each other. The regulations had 


86 


TOM WILKINS. 


become more easily observed. 

But one day one of the upper class boys, 
probably dreaming that he was in a school of 
the old kind, when asked to perform some task, 
leaned back lazily and remarked that he “did 
not have to.’’ The entire school was surprised 
at his presumption. So was the principal. Be- 
ing a large man physically, and taken so by sur- 
prise, wholly unaccustomed to being disobeyed, 
and realizing the effect upon the school if that 
young man were not promptly dealt with, he 
made a sudden bound at him, and in less time 
than it takes to tell it, had the culprit by the 
nape of the neck and landed him out of the door 
with instructions to leave the premises forth- 
with, The whole school was momentarily ex- 
cited, but the principal called the next pupil and 
the work soon went on with its accustomed 
quietness. Probably the least excited person in 
the room was the principal. His quiet manner 
soon caused the pupils to resume their usual de- 
portment, and not a word was said of the affair. 

After school had closed for the evening, the 
principal went to the members of the board and 
told them what he had done, and remarked that 


TOM WILKINS. 


87 


if lie had his way about it that boy should not 
be permitted to return to school until he was 
ready to stand up before the whole school and 
apologize for the insult he had offered to both 
teacher and fellow pupils. 

“Well/^ said the president of the board, 
^‘you’ll just have your way about it. We don^t 
want any anarchy cropping out in the school, 
and we are not going to allow any pupil to act 
so discourteously and remain in school without 
making the matter right. We had a splendid 
school last year, and we intend to have this 
year, if the entire support of the board will be 
of any assistance to the teachers.’’ 

Do you think that board did right or not! 
Would it have been better for them to have es- 
tablished a court of inquiry, so to speak, and 
call in the boy in question and ask him to give 
his version of the affair ; to take into considera- 
tion his social standing; who his ‘‘pa” was, and 
sundry other minor items, such as whether he 
might not have said what he did in a joke! Was 
it not wrong to cast a boy away from the good 
influences of the school, probably to grow up in 
wickedness! 


8S 


TOM WILKINS. 


Well, you have your opinion, and we have 
ours j but we make it a rule, as that board did, 
never to go back on the teacher in a critical mo- 
ment. 

That boy ^s ‘‘pa’’ settled the matter when he 
heard about it. He asked the board what had 
been decided upon. He called upon the princi- 
pal at his home. At first the principal felt a 
little uneasy not knowing what turn affairs 
might take. Have you ever been waited upon 
by a stern parent? Oh, you have, have you? 
Well this parent entered the teacher’s door quiet- 
ly, respectfully took the profered hand and the 
convenient chair. He began quietly by saying : 

“I just dropped in to speak to you about that 
boy of mine. He has acted rudely to-day, and 
I want you to deal with him just as your judge- 
ment says the case requires, and count upon me 
to stand right by you. I shall send him back 
in the morning, and I think you will have no 
more trouble with him.” Then he changed the 
subject, never referring to the episode again. 
Did that principal feel relieved? Well, you 
said you had been there. 

The boy returned to school the next morning. 


TOM WILKINS. 


89 


fell right into line with the regulations, made 
an honest apology, and the school went on as if 
nothing had happened. Tom knew all these 
circumstances thoroughly, and decided that that 
way was much more effective than a ‘‘decent 
switching’’ would have been, and it made a last- 
ing impression upon him. It is only on account 
of the way it affected the life and career of Tom 
that this incident is related here. Tom saw at a 
glance that the union of teacher, school board 
and parent on the same side made an impregna- 
ble wall against which the unruly might butt 
his brains to his sorrow. 

But it is suggested that it requires a sensible 
parent to look at such a case as this one did. 
Agreed. It takes a sensible school board, too, 
and likewise a sensible teacher. In fact, it 
takes sensible people to make things go as they 
should any where in life. What would any 
government amount to without sensible people 
to make the laws and to administer them? 

The term passed on to a finish and another 
successful school year closed. The principal, 
who had given such invaluable service to the 
school, had finished his course at law, and 


90 


TOM WILKDTS. 


passed a successful examination for admission 
to the pra3tice of his chosen profession. He 
was not an applicant for reappointment, but 
meant to enter his chosen profession and try to 
work upward in it. He had a cousin who had 
taught a number of years, and who had some of 
the most splendid recommendations any board 
ever read. He induced this cousin to make ap- 
plication for the position. He also talked to the 
board about the matter. 

It had been thought by some that Tom should 
now follow to the principalship, and Tom had 
been inclined to think so too. But he went to 
his old director friend who was still on the 
board and had a talk with him. His friend ad- 
vised him to stay right where he was, saying 
that he should have an increase in salary. His 
reasons for advising him thus were that they 
needed a strong teacher in that room as well as 
in the higher one, and then besides it would be 
hard for one so young as he to follow one who 
had been so eminently successful as had the re- 
tiring principal. So Tom decided not to apply, 
and the cousin secured the appointment. 

The new principal was a man passed middle 


TOM WILKINS. 


91 


age wlio had “hacked about from pillar to post’’ 
for twenty years, never teaching in the same 
school more than two terms in succession. He 
was small of stature, light in weight and ex- 
tremely nervous and irritable. You can imag- 
ine what a change was destined to come over 
that school. Well, we will tell you all about it 
in the next chapter. 


92 


TOM WILKINS. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

PROFESSOR SMALL. 

Two years of the most successful school the 
little village had ever enjoyed had seta standard 
below which a new-comer must not fall without 
being in danger of severe criticism. Nothing 
short of a first class all-around school man 
could have followed the principal who had 
stepped from the profession of teaching to the 
practice of law, and have made a success of it. 
This nervous and fretful cousin did not in any 
way fill the requirements. He was well educat- 
ed, and had had a great deal of experience but 
he lacked that will power and determination to 
make results. Old as he was he had a disgust- 
ing desire to ‘‘show off’’ before his classes, and 
would often make punning remarks at which he 
himself would laugh most heartily. The pupils 
laughed too at first, but these remarks soon be- 
came old and dry. You know there is nothing 
that gets drier than the lowest form of wit. Its 
use robs one of that very necessary quality, dig- 


TOM WILKINS. 


93 


nity. 

Instead of continuing the admirable system 
that had been established in the school, this 
principal let everything drift back to the former 
condition of careless, slip-shod work that had 
made the school a failure before, and that can 
be counted upon to make any school a failure. 

He had no use for a course of study, did not 
believe in the present course, thought that his 
room was about all there was of the school any 
way, and knew he could teach with the greatest 
of success without having any one else to tell 
him what to teach and when to teach it. 

His twenty years of experience in a number 
of different schools had made him invincible. 
He also objected to the loss of the time necessa- 
ry to form the pupils in line to march in at the 
call of the bell. The board had ordered this 
practice continued. But he often lectured his 
school on the loss that was thus entailed, and in- 
stead of showing that he and the board were in 
perfect harmony, he stated to them that if the 
board had not so ordered he would have the boys 
come up the stairs two steps at a time and save 
that amount of time for valuable study. In 


94 


TOM WILKINS. 


fact he lectured so long on that unimportant 
topic that one of the pupils said he wasted 
at least fifteen minutes telling them that they 
should not waste one. Example does say a 
great deal. Not all pupils are dullards. They 
soon saw that there was a breach between the 
principal and the school-board, and it had the 
usual effect. It will always have that effect. 

Light of weight and small of stature, he 
would often boast before his school that if he 
took the notion he could punish the biggest boy 
in the room, and if occasion required, he would 
certainly do so. While the large boys were for 
the most part respectful and full of a desire to 
learn, there were a few that would just like to 
see this light-weight tackle one of the larger 
boys, just for fun. For there were boys there 
who could have bound him hand and foot The 
boastful spirit not followed by acts to justify 
the boasting (if boasting can ever be justified) 
lost to this principal a great deal of the influence 
which he should have had, and which he cer- 
tainly would have had, had he deported himself 
properly. 

Things went from bad to worse, and criticisms 


TOM WILKINS. 


95 


began to come in to the board, and their lives 
began to be burdensome again. They held a 
meeting to talk over the difficulties. One mem- 
ber of the board concluded that perhaps they 
were not supporting the teachers as they should, 
remembering the troubles they had experienced 
when the board members were at loggerheads. 
So they decided to call the principal into consul- 
tation the next evening. The clerk sent him 
notice to appear at the specified time to talk over 
the condition of educational affairs. He had 
been before many a board, had often been 
called down, and had come to recognize the av- 
erage school board as the teacher’s greatest en- 
emy, He had argued with many a board and 
showed them that they knew nothing at all about 
school, while he, himself, knew a great many 
things, in fact, about all there was to be known. 

Instead of keeping his own counsel and qui- 
etly obeying the request of the board for a con- 
ference, he announced in open school that the 
board had ordered him to attend a meeting to 
look into the affairs of the school, intimating 
that if that board thought they could give him 
any “pointers” on teaching they were very 


96 


TOM WILKINS. 


much mistaken. He went before the board 
with a feeling of humiliation which he might 
have avoided if he had not advertised the fact 
that he had been called info the conference by 
the board. 

You see he had always taught in communities 
where a call before Uie board meant a calling 
down, and his desire to vindicate himself in ad- 
vance had caused him to makcthe matter public. 

At the meeting he was cordially received and 
each member seemed anxious to make the con- 
ference profitable for all concerned. He was 
asked concerning things, and immediately flew 
into a passion at what he considered undo inter- 
ference in affairs that were entirely his business, 
and gave the board his set speech on such occa- 
sions, intimating that they knew nothing about 
teaching, not one of them had ever held even a 
second-grade certificate, while he held a first- 
grade and had taught a score of years. His 
talk ran on in an abusive strain with a strong 
current of braggadocio in it until one member 
of the board, becoming utterly disgusted, could 
not refrain from remarking : 

“Well, I don’t care how many years you may 


TOM WILKINS. 


97 


have taught before, you are not teaching any 
thing worth while this year. From more points 
of view than one your school is a flat failure. 
I see now why you haVe never stayed very long 
at any one place. And I assure you right now 
that if I have my way about it you will not dis- 
grace this school another year. Here we have 
called you into conference to try to help you all 
we can with our advice and support and you 
spurn our offers of assistance, and must get 
through the best you can.’’ 

Rumor says that the member of the board 
lost his temper temporarily and injected into 
the conversation a few adjectives and expletives 
that a polite writer like myself would not put 
down on paper. The principal replied ; 

‘‘Well, you do just what you please for the 
next term, but I shall run the school for the re- 
mainder of this year as I know it should be run. 
I am sorry that you know nothing about school, 
but I can not help that, I shall have to do the 
best I can.' Of course, I understand that you 
want Tom Wilkins to get my place and you 
mean to persecute me all you can to pave the 
way for him. Well, just take him and see 

T. W.-7. 


98 


TOM WILKINS. 


what kind of a school you will have any way. 
Still, it will be as good as you deserve.’’ 

With this thrust he lapsed into silence and 
lost all interest in the conference, which came 
to an end shortly and Mr. Principal went his 
way with a feeling of hatred for everybody in 
general and for that school board and Tom 
Wilkins in particular. 

Naturally, Professor Small, (for that was his 
name), acquired a growing hatred for Tom, who, 
he thought, was ambitious to succeed him, and 
whose ambitions were the cause of his apparent 
persecution. He lost no opportunity to remind 
his pupils, and especially those who contemplat- 
ed teaching that there were several things going 
on in the next room that should not be done by 
a good teacher. Sometimes in his bitterness at 
his failure to make his pupils do just as he 
wished them to, he would remark, ‘‘Well, just 
wait till Tom Wilkins gets to be principal and 
then you will have a school,” always with a 
sneer. It happened that Tom had many friends 
in that roDin already, for one class had been 
undeT his care the first year he had taught in 
the building. These pupils did not appreciate 


TOM WILKINS. 


99 


the remarks of Professor Small, his hatred for 
the whole school and for Tom being too great to 
be disguised. 

Tom knew nothing of the unkind remarks 
that Professor Small had been making for seve- 
ral weeks. One day one of the upper class boys 
told him about it. He was of course very much 
chagrinned. He could not understand the Pro- 
fessor’s motive unless it was to injure him. He 
talked to his school director friend about it say- 
ing that he would very much regret it if he had 
done or said anything to gain the Professor’s ill 
will. The director told him to pay no attention 
to the matter at all, treat the Professor as well 
as he could, and everything would come out all 
right in the end. 

Tom knew this was good advice, and knew, 
too, that this director had never given him any 
other kind. So he acted upon the advice and 
refused to show the least resentment toward the 
Professor, who was allowing all sorts of re- 
marks to pass his lips, and allowing the school 
to drift into uselCssness as rapidly as possible. 

As soon as spring weather opened up the 
larger pupils began to drop out of school, so 


100 


TOM WILKINS. 


many leaving that the Professor had scarcely 
a half-dozen left to preach to. 

The term closed gloomily enough, and at the 
meeting of the board for the appointment of 
teachers Tom’s application was read and he was 
appointed principal of the public schools in the 
village of his birth. He was almost beyond 
himself with delight, and yet he knew there was 
plenty of hard work ahead of him. His youth- 
ful dreams were being realized more rapidly 
than he expected they would be. 

Do you not think that Tom’s experience with 
Professor Small was of great benefit to him ! 


TOM WILKINS. 


101 


CHAPTER IX. 

APPOINTMENT AS PRINCIPAL. A VISIT. 

Having secured the appointment as principal 
of the village schools, Tom spent a few weeks 
in carefully going over the outline for the next 
year’s work, attended the institute as he had 
done every summer, and then concluded that the 
best recreation that he could take would be a visit 
to some relatives who lived at a distance from his 
home. 

He packed up his books, closed up his writing 
case, selected what clothing he wished to take 
with him, and on a bright morning in the merry 
month of June was at the railway station waiting 
for the train to carry him to new scenes and to 
new friends, who would be very warm friends to 
him as they knew him better. After changing 
cars twice and waiting patiently the intervals, he 
arrived at his destination and was met at the 
depot by a cousin who had been apprised of his 
coming, and who had come to welcome him and 
transfer him to the beautiful country home that 


102 


TOM WILKINS. 


his uncle had built by hard toil and carefulness 
in a rough and rather mountainous portion of 
the country. 

This country home was a large and roomy, old 
fashioned residence, surrounded by fertile fields 
that had been tended carefully for a quarter of a 
century. The barns were full of well-bred 
horses, the pastures full of cattle of the profita- 
ble variety, the poultry yard stocked with the 
choicest of fowls, and the orchards laden with an 
abundant crop of young fruit. 

Tom took in the situation fully one afternoon 
as he lay out in the improvised hammock under 
one of the great trees that shaded the neatly-kept 
front yard. He had always been accustomed to 
life in the village, and the change was really 
inspiring to him. Uncle Jim Wilkins was a 
rough spoken, rather coarse mannered man, but 
a man with a pure heart nevertheless, and ap- 
preciated the progress that his brother’s son had 
made in the w’orld. And all the more so, for he 
knew that the boy had received very little finan- 
cial encouragement from home. 

He, himself, had made a good bit of money 
on the farm during the period immediately fol- 


TOM WILKINS. 


103 


lowing the war when the price of wheat made it 
worth while to raise that cereal extensively, and 
then he had been watchful of the changes that 
come over the agricultural world, and had drift- 
ed into the raising of stock and fruit when 
wheat began to be an unprofitable production. 
Aunt Mandy had always been a careful house- 
wife, saving everything she could, marketing 
her poultry and eggs at such times as she could 
receive the highest prices for them. 

Their hdme was plainly though comfortably 
furnished and beamed with old-fashioned hos- 
pitality. Tom’s visit was a red-letter occasion 
at Uncle Jim’s. The best in the larder was 
found upon the dinner table, the freshest eggs 
were served for breakfast) while milk and butter 
fresh from the spring-house were served in 
abundant quantities. The first evening after 
Tom’s arrival the family sat up and talked until 
long after their usual hour for retiring. 
Tom had to tell a great deal Of his experience 
as a teacher. This pleased Uncle Jim and Aunt 
Mandy very much for they had often wished 
that their eldest son might turn his attention 
toward an educational career, and even hoped 


104 


TOM WILKLNS. 


that some day he might teach the school in the 
district in which he lived. 

Sam, this eldest son, had always demurred 
to the proposition, saying that he wasn’t cut 
out for a school teacher ] that he was meant for 
a farmer, and would never be fit for anything 
else. These sentiments grieved Uncle Jim very 
much, for while he had not received much edu- 
cation himself, still he desired that his children 
should have the best in the market if they would 
only take it. He had the money necessary to 
make the proposition good, too. 

‘'But,” he often remarked, that’s the way it 
goes. “Boys, like Tom Wilkins, that has to work 
it all out for theirselves, has got more inclerna- 
tion than them that hes the money to back ’em.” 

I am not sure but that Uncle Jim is about 
right about it. Tom thought so, too. But he 
also thought that one of the great requisites to 
securing an education is a real desire to have it, 
and confidence enough to believe that one can 
accomplish what many another has done. So 
he told Uncle Jim that, in his opinion, if he 
could get Sam to desire an education very earn- 
estly, he should have paved the way to that end. 


TOM WILKINS. 


105 


Uncle Jim asked Tom to try to bring the matter 
to Sam’s attention in such a way that he would 
gain confidence in himself, and Tom promised 
to do so. 

Let us say right here that Tom did as he had 
promised to. He went out to the field with 
Sam and showed him that his education did not 
unfit him for the work of a farmer j told him 
how he had struggled against adverse circum- 
stances, and by pursuing a carefully laid out 
course of study, had succeeded thus far. 

Let us also add that Sam did get interested 
and made considerable progress the next year, 
and did eventually teach the school in his home 
district. 

Tom’s stay at Uncle Jim’s was one of the 
happiest few weeks he had ever spent. Two 
sons and one daughter were the children of the 
family. Sam was nineteen years old, Charley, 
fifteen, and Alice, the pride of her parents and 
the neighborhood, was seventeen. Tom took a 
great interest in his cousin, who often sat at 
the little parlor organ and whiled away a pleas- 
ant hour with most pleasing music. Her sing- 
ing was particularly sweet and charming. 


106 


TOM WILKINS. 


It seen^ed to Tom that the time just flew by, 
and he was beginniug to think of returning 
home, when one evening a large number of the 
neighboring country people gathered for a so- 
cial evening. Tom had met most of the young 
folks in the community and already had many 
friends amoug them. They kept coming and 
coming till there was an unusually large number 
present. Among the very last of the arrivals 
w-as a carriage of young folks from over the hill 
several miles away. They had come on invita- 
tion of Uncle Jim, whom they all knew and all 
loved and respected, for he was one of those 
good-natured old souls that will have friends in 
any community. Tom and Alice ran out to 
meet them, and imagine Tom’s surprise to find 
among the number his little bright-eyed maiden 
from home. How did she get here ! Yes, and 
how did he get here! That was her query. 
Glad to see her, well I guess. It was because of 
his eagerness to spend an evening with her, as 
much as any thing else that he had thought of 
going home so soon. She hdd also gone to vis- 
it friends and that is how she came to be here. 

In love for the old man and his good old wife. 


TOM WILKINS. 


107 


Tom took liis little maiden around to tiiem and 
introduced lier as his most intimate female ac- 
quaintance, and he blushed at his boldness here 
when he had persisted in being such a coward 
at home. 

The old folks received her most kindly, and 
made her most welcome. Uncle Jim, in his jol- 
ly way, said : 

“Well, now Miss, if that be true, you just 
came upon the scene in time, for Tom has made 
so many friends here in these few weeks that I 
was getting afeard that some of these likely 
gals might capture him, and never let him go 
back,’’ and he chuckled and rubbed his hands 
together and the laugh passed all around. 

A most enjoyable evening was passed. Inno- 
cent games were indulged in. Music filh^d part 
of the program, and Tom was persuaded to de- 
liver one of his favorite declamations, which 
called for another. Uncle Jim was as happy as 
he had been for many a day. These larger 
children played “pleased or displeased” just as 
children had done years before, and they took 
just as much delight in putting some innocent 
task upon Tom and his little friend as the school 


108 


TOM WILKINS. 


children had done some half-dozen years before, 
and it made their thoughts run back to a period 
of great pleasure. 

Was it this being reminded of the old days, 
or was it the goodness of Uncle 'Jim and Aunt 
Mandy, or what was it that made Tom more 
brave than usual! Well, we don’t know. But 
we do know that just before the party dispersed 
Tom had strolled over to the old well with his 
little maiden, and there in the moonlight, within 
the sound of many happy voices, had asked her 
to be his wife, and she blushing to the temples, 
and more confused than she had ever been be- 
fore, had said the word that made him happier 
even than when he received his first certificate. 
And you know how happy that was. 

After all the guests had departed. Uncle Jim 
said, “Tom, that’s a likely gal, that friend o’ 
your’n. And say, if this old man hain’t mighty 
bad fooled, she’ll be more’n a friend to you 
some day. An’ when that day comes, I want 
you to come out an’ spend a week with your old 
Uncle an’ git better acquainted.^’ 

Tom tried to deny the charge, but got so con- 
fused that he colored up sufficiently to cause the 


TOM WILKINS. 


109 


^ood old man to say to himself, “I hain’t fooled 
this time, sure. Well, I guess not. I’ve seen 
young folks before. Bin one myself, come to 
think about it; and Mandy was another.” 

Tom returned home in a few days, and went 
right to work getting everything ready for the 
opening of school. He felt much refreshed by 
his trip to his uncle’s, and highly gratified at 
the turn everything had taken, and especially 
pleased with his unexpected courage, and the 
result of it. 

Miss Maggie Hughes (that was the name of 
the little maiden who had been so much comfort 
and encouragement to Tom, and who had so re- 
cently promised to be so much more comfort to 
him) returned from her visit s6on, and Tom had 
the pleasure of an occasional evening with her. 
They were both extremely happy, and we shall 
leave them so in the closing paragraph of this 
chapter. 


110 


TOM WILKINS. 


CHAPTER X. 

THE “GOOD ORDER LEAGUE,” AN INTERESTING 
EVENT. 

In the little village there were some young 
men who appreciated the advantages that an ed- 
ucation gives a young man in the struggles of 
after years. They were anxious to make their 
marks in this world, as every one should be. 
While they were wild in some respects and apt 
to do things that should not be done, yet they 
were only like many other young men who made 
good, useful citizens later in life. Human life 
is a study. There is a period in it when, it 
seems, wild oats must be sown. These young 
men were sowing theirs, not dissipatingly, but 
still they were sowing them. They organized 
dancing clubs, boating clubs, base ball clubs, 
and indulged in many other amusements. 

They had observed carefully, and knew full 
well that the cause of the failure of the last 
winter’s school was the lack of sense on the 
part of the principal — the lack of horse sense, 
as they expressed it. One evening as the boys 


TOM WILKINS. 


Ill 


were talking in a group, as boys will, they 
struck the subject of school, as boys will. 

‘‘Well’’ said Charlie Smith, a boy of about 
sixteen, who aspired to be a lawyer some day, 
and will fame debating at the bar of justice, “I 
almost lost the entire school term last year. 
Prof. Small was such a nervous, fidgety man 
that 1 found it very hard to study as I should 
have done, and he talked so much, and so much 
nonsense, that before I knew where 1 was drift- 
ing, I had lost interest in the work.” 

‘‘So did I,” said John Reed, who was about 
the same age, and who desired to be a merchant 
some day. “But I think things will go better 
next year with Tom Wilkins at the helm. Most 
all the pupils like Tom, and for my part, I only 
wish I could learn to help myself as much as he 
helps himself. He seldom calls upon any one 
for assistance in his studies, and yet he has ad- 
vanced to the rank of a first-grade teacher, while 
many others who appeared to have better oppor- 
tunities than Tom had are still teaching little 
country schools on second-grade certificates. 

‘‘I am .sure we shall all like Tom,” said Will 
Roberts, “for while it is great fun for a while 


112 


TOM WILKINS. 


to go to school to a teacher like Prof. Small, 
yet in the long run it does ns no good, and I 
am getting to the age now that I can not expect 
to go to school for many more years, and I am 
sure if we do our part, Tom Wilkins will do us 
a great deal of good the next term. He is just, 
reasonable and very anxious to do what is 
right.’' 

“Boys, do you know what I think!” said 
Charley Smith. “I think we ought to band 
ourselves to-gether in a band for the pui’pose of 
supporting Tom Wilkins next term for our own 
good. He has always been a friend to the boys, 
always has a kind word for any of us, would 
do anything in his power to help us, and, for 
my part, I feel like fighting for him, if neees- 
essary . ’ ’ 

“Agreed,” chimed in several others, and so it 
was that the “Good Order League” was formed 
with Charley Smith as its president. The ob- 
ject of the league was to assist the new princi- 
pal in every way to make a success of the sehool. 
Every member — and the membership soon in- 
creased to fifteen of the largest and strongest 
boys in the school — was pledged to the strictest 


TOM WILKINS. 


113 


obedience in all things that Tom might wish to 
be done. And they furthermore pledged to 
“lick’’ the first boy who showed a desire to 
bully- rag the school or the teacher in any way. 

They recognized that while Tom was rather 
small of stature, he was a giant in intellect, and 
they hoped to be able to lend him of their mus- 
cle, if it should be needed, in return for the ser- 
vices he would render them in their school work. 

While these proceedings were kept quiet, 
everyone was given to understand that all the 
larger and better pupils were highly pleased 
with Tom’s appointment. This league was un- 
doubtedly of great help to Tom, but he never 
learned of its existence until a number of years 
afterward when one of the members of the 
league had been appointed superintendent of 
city schools in one of the flourishing cities of 
the southern part of the state. He had returned 
to his old home for a visit, and soon hunted 
Tom Wilkins up to tell him how much good his 
teaching had done himj how his example had 
inspired him j how deep an impression he had 
made by his lectures in which he reminded his 
pupils that their fate lay in their own hands, 

T. W.-8. 


114 


TOM WILKINS. 


and that they should have to work out their own 
destiny. 

Torn thanked him for the kind remembrances 
and also for his good deportment which had 
made it possible to make these impressions. 
And right here was the opportunity for him to 
tell Tom about the ‘^Good Order League,’’ and 
how it was planned and how it worked. Good- 
natured, big-hearted Tom heard the recital to 
the end, and wiping away a big tear, said in a 
choked voice, ‘‘God bless you for all this kind- 
ness ! And may you be as successful as you 
have desired me to be ! I shall ever remember 
you gratefully.” 

But there ! We have been going into the fu- 
ture again, and are in danger of telling the sto- 
ry before we get to it. Let us return to the 
text. Tom was happy the summer through, for 
reasons that you can readily understand. You 
see the school board had promoted him to the 
position of principal of the school, and Miss 
Hughes, the little maiden with whom you are 
somewhat acquainted, had promised to promote 
him to the position of a benedict ! What more 
could a human desire? 


TOM WILKINS. 


115 


Tom could not think of accepting the second 
promotion at once, for he was anxious to make 
an entire success of the first. So he went to 
work with his usual diligence and prepared an 
outline for the use of the schools the ensuing 
year. The work of each grade was carefully 
marked out, and a meeting of the teachers 
called. With them he went over the outline 
carefully, soliciting their support in carrying 
out his wishes. This he easily secured, for the 
teachers were all proud of Tom, and knew that 
under his guidance the schools would he suc- 
cessful. What a blessing it is to have the sup- 
port of those with whom you work ! 

With these preparations and with the best 
wishes of the patrons of the school, the term 
started off auspiciously. There was no non- 
sense about Tom, and the pupils appreciated his 
strict attention to business, his clear-cut expla- 
nations to abstruse points, his skillful question- 
ing, and his sensible talks. He found the mat- 
ter of discipline much less troublesome than he 
had expected it would be. 

You know there are teachers who can control 
a school by their presence, and whose keen eye 


116 


TOM WILKINS. 


is more effectual than a birch rod. Tom’s keen- 
ness of vision was attested to by one of the 
boys who, while he was not positively bad, was 
still inclined to perpetrate mischievous little 
tricks when he thought he was not being 
watched. He said after having been in school 
about two weeks, “Tom Wilkins must have eyes 
in the back of his head, for he has seen every 
little thing I have done this term.” 

When the Christmas holidays arrived and the 
pupils presented him a handsome token of their 
appreciation Tom was delighted, not on account 
of the value of the present, but because of the 
sentiment it conveyed. He re-doubled his ef- 
forts with the beginning of the new year, and 
everything went well with the school. 

Tom often conferred with the school board, 
kept them apprised of the condition of the 
school, asked their advice on many points, and 
always showed himself ready to accept their 
suggestions. In the sessions of the County 
Teachers’ Association he was always found a 
willing worker, and was beginning to be recog- 
nized as one of the valuable members of that 
organization. He seldom missed a meeting. 


TOM WILKINS. 


117 


never shirked a duty, was often honored with a 
place upon the program, and frequently took 
part in the impromptu discussions that came up, 
and that were often the best part of the meeting. 

When the end of the term arrived in the 
balmy month of June, Tom was well pleased 
with his work, was really surprised that he had 
had no trouble to speak of in the matter of dis- 
cipline, was very thankful for the gentlemanly 
treatment the larger pupils had accorded him, 
and at the same time was somewhat puzzled to 
explain it all. You see we have the advantage 
of him, for he did not know of the existence of 
the “Good Order League,’’ and we do. 

An early meeting of the board resulted in his 
re-appointment. The summer institute had an 
especial interest for him, and he was found 
present every day of the session. After the in- 
stitute closed Tom concluded to enjoy another 
visit with Uncle Jim and Aunt Mandy, whose 
kindness he could never forget, and who had 
written him several times during the winter in- 
sisting that he return the next summer and 
spend some of his vacation with them. 

On a bright morning in the month of July — 


118 


TOM WILKINS. 


tlie morning following an interesting evening at 
the home of the little maiden, in which Tom 
and Miss Maggie and a local Justice-of-the- 
Peace were the prominent characters, and a 
sumptuous supper a principal feature, and in 
which Tom was promoted to the rank of Bene- 
dict, with the sweet-faced little maiden as his 
bride — it was on the morning following this in- 
teresting event that Tom found himself at the 
railway station, with his little maiden, hound 
for Uncle Jim’s to spend a few happy weeks, 
and prove to the good old soul that he was en- 
tirely correct in his conjectures of the previous 
summer. 

Now the reader may find fault with this ab- 
rupt way of stating so important a part of the 
career of this young man. But remember this 
is not a love story, though there is plenty of 
that ingredient in it. Of course we might have 
gone over a number of the tete-a-tetes enjoyed 
by these young folks, might have described 
graphically their “billing and cooing,” their 
times of doubt and partial coldness, their indif- 
ference, and have capped the climax with a 
characteristic make-up of a slight dilference of 


TOM WILKINS. 


119 


opinion, their eagerness to crown the reconcili- 
ation with a hasty marriage to prevent another 
coldness, the sober thoughts engendered in the 
minds of both at the prospect of so materially 
changing their respective relations to the social 
world and to each .other, might have dwelt a 
chapter or two upon the secret musings of the 
bride-to-be, and how she confidentially conveyed 
the happy news to her most intimate lady ac- 
quaintance, and then have occupied considera- 
ble of your valuable time in a description of 
the wedding preparations, the tasty dress, the 
neiwousness of the critical moments, the solem- 
nity of the ceremony, and the blessings show- 
ered upon the happy couple by those who 
wished them the best that this life atfords. 

But we have refrained from doing so, not- 
withstanding you would have enjoyed reading 
it, because this is not a love story, and because 
we have several other things to call to your at- 
tention that will be more to the purpose for 
which this story is written. 

Their journey was a very pleasant one not- 
vrithstanding the warm weather. They arrived 
at their destination and were received with open 


120 


TOM WILKINS. 


arms, given the best room at Uncle Jim’s, loved 
and cherished and fed as Uncle Jim and Aunt 
Mandy knew young married folks ought to be 
for the two weeks of their stay. Alice was de- 
lighted with her new cousin and all were very 
happy. 


TOM WILKINS. 


121 


CHAPTER XI. 

TROUBLES OF HIS OWN. 

We do not mean to tell you all about bow 
this young couple returned from their outing, 
began housekeeping, established a cozy little 
home of their own, and numerous other little 
details that you may very easily imagine for 
yourself. But we will say that an important 
part of their furniture was that which occupied 
the corner of the room devoted to study, and 
that the sweet-faced little wife took great inter- 
est in Tom’s studies, encouraging him in every 
way possible. They read good books together 
in the long winter evenings, and their home was 
soon known to be a useful one, and one in 
which the higher ideals of life were being culti- 
vated. 

In the election that occurred in the fall there 
was a change of County Superintendents. A 
young man had been nominated by the minority 
party to make the race against the superintend- 
ent who had been assisted to the place by the 


122 


TOM WILKINS. 


politician teacher mentioned in an earlier chap- 
ter. No one expected this young man to defeat 
the superintendent who had held the position so 
long, and whose acquaintance was now very ex- 
tensive. The young man went into the canvass, 
however, to win, interviewed the voters in every 
part of the county and when the election oc- 
curred, found himself elected by a small major- 
ity. 

This change in the superintendence interested 
Tom. He had known the new incumbent for 
several years, having met him at the meetings 
of the association. While they did not agree 
politically, Tom extended to him his hearty sup- 
port in every movement calculated to elevate 
the standard of the public school. So, while 
the new superintendent and Tom entertained 
different opinions on the political questions of 
the day, they agreed on many things concerning 
the work of the schools, and Tom always found 
a hearty welcome in the superintendent’s office. 
In his visits there he learned a great deal about 
the work of a county superintendent. 

One day one of Tom’s personal and political 
friends suggested to him that he might some 


TOM WILKINS. 


123 


day reach that office himself, if he were careful, 
and kept up his present record in the school 
work. He argued that this young man had only 
been elected by one of those strange political 
accidents that sometimes occur, and that the 
dominant party of the county would surely re- 
deem the office at the next election. 

Tom received the suggestion with thanks and 
said he would think over it, but mentally he 
said to himself that he would do the work in 
hand well, arguing that a bird in hand is worth 
two in the bush, and it would be nearly four 
years before the next election would occur. 

AVith these thoughts he dismissed the matter 
from his mind and bent his energies toward 
making a success of the school. Soon after the 
opening of the term he discovered that he would 
in all probability not have as smooth sailing as 
he had the year before. There were several 
reasons for this. One was that the greater part 
of the larger pupils had severed their connection 
with the school, some to go to college, some to 
work for the necessaries of life, some because 
others had quit, and for various reasons the 
upper class was thinned out. Of course, the 


124 


TOM WILKINS. 


absent ones included the greater part of the 
‘^Good Order League.” 

Besides, there were a few young men, about 
Tom’s own age, who had had as good opportu- 
nities as Tom to get an education, but who had 
preferred to waste their time in hunting, fish- 
ing, loafing, and various other ways rather than 
to buckle down to work to improve their minds. 
Several of these young men were intensely jeal- 
ous of the success Tom was achieving, and tried 
in every way to throw obstacles in his path. 

They had tried the same the year before, but 
were rebuffed, at every attempt, by the league. 
This year they went to work on some of the 
more mischievous pupils of the school, and put 
them up to various annoyances they might per- 
petrate upon the principal and have a “bushel 
of fun.” There are always boys who prefer 
fun to work, and it did not take long for two of 
the boys to acquire a spirit of defiance in the 
school room, which grew as time went on and as 
these boys were coached by the young mentioned 
during the evenings when they all met to have a 
“time.” 

Tom soon saw how things were drifting and 


TOM WILKINS. 


125 


began an honest search of his own heart to find 
if he were to blame for the existing state of af- 
fairs, re-doubled his energies to make his school 
what it should be, and went home often with a 
sad heart at what he began to think was to be 
the down- fall of his career as principal of the 
school. 

One day he confided in his director friend, 
told him of his fears and expressed himself as 
doubting his ability to keep matters going as 
they should. 

“Now, don’t you worry a bit about that,” 
said the director, “we know more about the 
outside influences that are at work than you do, 
and have been keeping an eye upon alfairs, and 
somebody is going to lose his opportunity of 
going to school, if they are not careful. When 
you go back to school, you just tell those boys 
what you want them to do, and if they refuse, 
show them the door, and we will take care of 
the rest. We do not propose to allow two over- 
grown boys, who do not care whether the school 
is a success or not, to run the school.” 

Tom thought over this seriously. He did not 
like to be the cause of some one not having the 


12G 


TOM WILKINS. 


privilege of attending school, but their conduct 
was almost unbearable at times. 

In a few days one of the troublesome boys 
flatly refused to do what had been requested of 
him and seemed anxious to indulge in a personal 
encounter with Tom. It might have been diffi- 
cult to tell the result of such an encounter, for 
the boy was considerably larger than Tom. But 
Tom’s judgment told him that acts of violence 
would not carry his point as well as the sugges- 
tion of his director friend. So he forthwith or- 
dered the boy to leave the room, and instructed 
the janitor to see to it that he did not come upon 
the school-ground again without his permission. 
He left in a surly mood, not knowing just why 
he obeyed that order, but there was Are in Tom’s 
eye, and at the critical moment his nerve desert- 
ed him, and before he really knew what he was 
doing he was on his way home, hurling back ep- 
ithets that did no real harm to the teacher. 

The school quieted down in a short time, but 
still the other mischievous boy seemed restless, 
for it had been part of their plot to work togeth- 
er in this business, and now he was left alone. 
Things were not long in coming to a crisis in 


TOM WILKINS. 


127 


his ease and he was summarily dismissed. 

Tom went home that evening with a heavy 
heart, not knowing what might be the outcome 
of the whole affair. He did not sleep much 
that night and went to school the next day in a 
state of considerable excitement. One of those 
boys was upon the school ground playing ball, 
and Tom did not know just what might happen 
before the day ended. 

When the dismissed boys went home they 
made a great tale of it to their parents. One 
of them told his father plainly that he would 
not go back to that school any more so long as 
Tom Wilkins were the teacher. He had been 
having his way about everything he desired to 
do or not to do, and because of a disagreement 
between his parents as to the proper way to con- 
trol the boy, he had secured control himself, 
not only of himself, but by the help of his 
mother, had about secured control of his father 
also. This boy never came beck. 

The father of the other boy heard his story 
and quietly said to him : “Do up your work for 
the evening and get your lessons for to-morrow. 
I shall go to school with you to-morrow, and 


128 


TOM WILKINS. 


we’ll get things straightened out all right.” 

On the way to school this parent met a mem- 
ber of the school board, told him of what had 
happened, assured him that he was heartily a- 
shamed of his boy’s conduct, and pledged his 
support to the teacher and the board in getting 
the matter adjusted. The board member told 
him that his boy would have to make due apolo- 
gy before the whole school, and pledge the 
strictest obedience, or he would not be permitted 
to enter school any more that term. The parent 
thanked him, and assured him that all that was 
required would be done. 

The first person Tom met as he reached the 
top of the stairs was this parent, who greeted 
him cordially and touching upon the event of 
the day before, assured him that his boy would 
have to make the matter right as soon as school 
opened, and he meant to stay right there and 
see it done right. School was called, and as 
soon as all were quietly seated, Tom said to the 
school: “Henry has something to say to the 
school, and I am sure we shall all be glad to 
give him our attention.” 

Henry stepped upon the rostrum, made a neat 


TOM WILKINS. 


129 


little apology for his conduct, and promised to 
be obedient the remainder of his attendence at 
school, and then sat down and cried. His fa- 
ther rose and in a neat talk assured the pupils 
that he did not approve the conduct of his son 
on the previous day, and felt sure that he saw 
the matter differently now, and then turning to 
the teacher requested him to keep him informed 
as to his son’s conduct, and to depend upon him 
to assist him at any time in making his son 
obedient. 

The day passed off smoothly, the effect of 
these proceedings being a deep impression upon 
the minds of the pupils in regard to discipline. 
Tom thought over the trying episode often. His 
final conclusion was that dismissing the one boy 
who returned and reformed was a good thing 
for the boy. 

He was not so sure about the other boy. He 
wished that he had a heart big enough to enfold 
the boy and make him do right in spite of his 
training or lack of it. But he was young, him- 
self, and while he thought that he might some 
day acquire that power over the rougher element, 
he realized that he did not possess it entirely 


T. W.-9. 


130 


TOM WILKINS. 


yet, and so while he regretted that the boy was 
out of school, he felt just a little relieved that 
he did not come back. So did the school. 

Perhaps this was a wicked thought. Perhaps 
it is the mission of the public school to recog- 
nize no incorrigibles, but to lead the most de- 
graded and rebellious pieces of humanity imme- 
diately into the sunshine of higher life, and we 
suppose it is. But we are recording history 
rather than theory, and the foregoing tells what 
transpired in this particular ease. 

Let us not neglect to say that Henry kept his 
pledge, and received a fine education later, and 
Tom lived to hear him say to him that that epi- 
sode was the making of him. 

The remainder of the term went by profitably 
and the board that had stood by Tom so faith- 
fully, stood by him still, and re-appointed him 
for the ensuing year. 

The indulgent reader may think that we are 
painting Tom’s successes in too glowing colors, 
but we are not. It is not the province of the 
historian to make events, but to record them, 
and this we have done. Tom was no more suc- 
cessful than any other teacher might be in gov- 


TOM WILKINS. 


131 


erning his school if he and the board work in 
harmony and have the support of the better 
class of people of the community. We are be- 
lieving that the greater part of the difficulties 
that teachere meet with in the matter of govern- 
ment are due to a lack of support on the part of 
the school board, or a lack of harmony of opin- 
ion as to what is best to be done. 

Think it over for yourself, and then decide 
whether or not we are right about it. It may 
seem to you that we are placing too much re- 
sponsibility upon the directors, but we can not 
think so. 


132 


TOM WILKINS. 


CHAPTER XII. 

A LITTLE POLITICS. 

The next year Tom concluded that a library 
would be a good thing for the school. He do- 
nated a few books himself, and asked some of 
his friends to donate what they could spare. 
Soon a handsome little collection was secured, 
just the germ of a library to which many addi- 
tions have been made. The directors furnished 
a neat book case, and people wondered why the 
thing had not been thought of before. You 
know there are many good things that might be 
done in the world, if we only thought of them. 
Well, Tom thought of some of them. 

So strong had grown his hold upon this com- 
munity after his first two years of trial that 
no one thought of replacing him. The people 
did not feel inclined to experiment in the mat- 
ter of hiring a principal when they knew just 
what they would get in Tom. Moreover, his 
fellow teachers regarded him so highly that not 
one of them would make application against 


TOM WILKINS. 


133 


him. His fellow teachers had nothing but 
praise for him, while his pupils were among his 
strongest supporters. His method of governing 
his school was very much on the line of letting 
the school govern itself with the query, “Is it 
right?” always in plain view. Of course, if a 
show of authority was ever necessary, it was of 
the absolute variety, but it did not often happen 
that it was necessary. 

With these remarks on the success of the 
school, and with the additional statement that 
each year witnessed the success of one or more 
of Tom’s pupils in the county superintendent’s 
examination, we will pass over the next three 
years, and find ourselves at the time of the pre- 
liminary talk that comes up before the county 
convention names candidates for county offices. 

It was conceded by prominent members of 
the dominant party of the county that the young 
man who had so accidentally slipped into the 
office of county superintendent must be defeat- 
ed at the coming election. A number of teach- 
ers made themselves available for the place and 
expressed a willingness to do the defeating. 
Some of Tom’s political friends figured that 


134 


TOM WILKINS. 


their particular community had not been hon- 
ored with a county office for a quarter of a cent- 
ury, if you except the office held by the teacher- 
politician, before mentioned, which he secured 
after having severed his residence in the little 
village. They also figured that this was the 
banner precinct in the county for the dominant 
party. On these grounds, and because of his 
success in teaching, they urged Tom to allow 
his name to go before the convention. 

This was something to study over. But final- 
ly it was decided to do so. There were six can- 
didates before that convention for that office. 
Among the number was the afore-mentioned 
teacher-politician, who had hacked about at sev- 
eral odd jobs, barely making a living, and who 
thought this a good opportunity to break into 
county politics again. He visited the commu- 
nity in which Tom lived, interviewed the leading 
politicians in an endeavor to secure the delega- 
tion from his “old home,’’ arguing that he was 
entitled to it. He was told that if Tom Wilkins 
wanted to make the race he should have the lo- 
cal delegation. 

Tom made a partial canvas of the county, re- 


TOM WILKINS. 


135 


ceiving a rather chilly reception among the pol- 
iticians at the county seat, who were disposed 
to look upon him as rather young and innocent 
of the ways of the professional politician to 
make a successful race against such a hustler as 
the present incumbent, who had really taken 
the breath away from some of them. Tom 
mentally predicted his own defeat at the ap- 
proaching convention. However, he continued 
to look around in his own interest, even though 
he believed the combination to be against him. 

The primaries were held in due time, Tom re- 
ceiving the delegation from his own home. The 
practiced politicians had watched the primaries 
very closely. The teacher politician saw from 
what he learned that his chance for the nomina- 
tion w’as very slim unless he could get Tom out 
of the way. He lost no time in calling upon 
Tom at his home and told him that everything 
had gone against Tom in every part of the 
county except his home, advised him to with- 
draw from the race and turn his delegates over 
to him, arguing that that was the only way to 
defeat a certain gentleman who had for a num- 
ber of years been superintendent of the city 


136 


TOM WILKINS. 


schools at the county seat, arguing also, that 
Tom would receive so few votes that he would 
ever after be ashamed of his effort. 

To his chagrin Tom told him quietly thn-t he 
meant to stay in the race until he was defeated 
by the convention. Convention day arrived. 
Tom was there with his friends, and things ap- 
peared more favorable than they had been rep- 
resented by his anxious opponent, and once it 
seemed as if he would be successful, but a sud- 
den turn in affairs threw a number of votes to 
the ex-city superintendent, and Tom was de- 
feated, though he was the last man down. 

Congratulations were showered upon the suc- 
cessful candidate, but it was also whispered a- 
round that Tom Wilkins had more friends than 
ever, and would be an important factor in some 
future convention. He shook the hand of the 
successful candidate and said in his usual good 
humor : 

‘‘Now you have beaten me, and I shall help 
to make you regret it some day, by doing every- 
thing I can to elect you, and then when you see 
what a big thing you have on your hands, you 
will wish you had not done so.’’ 


TOM WILKINS. 


137 


He kept his word and worked for the one who 
had defeated him in convention. That was 
right, wasn’t it? Oh, yes, of course, but not 
all defeated candidates do so. Tom had a moral 
standard and tried to live up to it. 

Election day came. The ex-city superintend- 
ent w^as elected by a small majority. The cam- 
paign had been a very hotly contested one, and 
quite expensive. The young man who was de- 
feated came out of the office about as rich as he 
was when he went into it, but considerably 
wiser. Tom went on with his school work, 
congratulating himself that he had made his 
trip up Salt River in warm weather, rather than 
in the chilly breezes of early November. 

This new superintendent planned great things 
that he intended to do. He meant to be very 
severe in his examinations, and to have very 
rigid rules concerning renewals, but at the same 
time he meant to feel the pulse of the teachers, 
and keep them on his side if possible. 

He assisted the committee to prepare a pro- 
gram for the next meeting of the teachers’ asso- 
ciation, and insisted very strongly that Tom 
Wilkins be assigned the subject, ‘‘Renewal of 


138 


TOM WILKINS. 


Certificates/’ for he wanted to learn his views 
on that subject, and in the discussion that 
should follow, the views of the teachers in gen- 
eral. He also hoped quietly that Tom would 
prove to the teachers with that paper that the 
convention had done the right thing in nominat- 
ing himself instead of Tom. 

Tom prepared his paper carefully, half sus- 
pecting the trap, threw into it a bit of spice, 
and read it before the association, receiving a 
round of applause at the finish. Having access 
to the original manuscript, we shall give that 
paper in the next chapter. 


TOM WILKINS. 


139 


CHAPTER XIII. 

‘'THE RENEWAL OF CERTIFICATES.” A PAPER. 

“It is with great reluctance that I undertake 
to produce an article on this subject. I am cer- 
tain that I judge the spirit of the teachers and 
the superintendent aright when I say that none 
among you will be so ungenerous as to take a 
single word or thought in this article as person- 
al in the least degree. 

“And I feel sure, also, that the older teachers 
vAll find nothing new in this ; and those of the 
younger teachers who remain in the work ten 
or fifteen years will, sooner or later,, come to 
some of my conclusions, 

“I beg your indulgence while I note a few of 
my thoughts on the examination of applicants 
for teachers licenses, before entering directly 
upon the subject assigned me, first, because 
they bear directly upon the subject, and second, 
because I don’t know that I shall ever have a 
better opportunity of inflicting those thoughts 
upon a patient audience. 

“I maintain, despite the Jeffersonian doctrine 
that all men are created equal, that our endow- 
ments are as diversified as it is possible to eon- 


140 


TOM WILKINS. 


ceive. Not all may leadj some must follow, 
and are able to do nothing more — that keeps 
them busy. 

“The teacher must be a leader; a person of 
kindly disposition, with patience, forbearance, 
energy, keen perception, quick and correct judg- 
ment, and must be continually advancing. He 
must be honorable and moral. He must possess 
undaunted courage, manhood, sympathy and 
truth. He must be zealous, ingenious, con- 
sciencious and neat. He must have health and 
not too much wealth, or he will leave the pleas- 
ant and inspiring walks of teaching, with all 
their enchantments, their brilliant prospects and 
nnmerous advantages for other walks of life. 

“Moreover, he must have knowledge. He 
must possess an analytical mind as well as a 
synthetic. He must possess the art of talking 
plainly, simply, entertainingly and truthfnlly 
about what he knows. He must be able to cal- 
culate the interest on notes and bonds, the pos- 
session of which might lead him to the insane 
asylum, and the bare handling of which would 
make his heart flutter as did the heart of the 
savage when he discharged a rifle for the flrst 
time. 

“Above all, he must have a good memory; 
one crowded full of tables, rules, exceptions, 
formulae, pictures of countries, facts and dates 


TOM WILKINS. 


141 


of history, illustrations, explanations, etc., etc., 
that he may meet the superintendent upon his 
own grounds, and he must be able to pick out 
enough of these memory gems to place beside 
the proper questions to induce the aforesaid 
official to affix his official signature to that won- 
derful parchment called a “Certificate.” 

“The point which I hope I have made clear, 
bears repetition. It is, that of all the varied 
qualifications required of a teacher, he is exam- 
ined, practically, upon but one, and that often 
the most treacherous — the Memory. 

“Our examiners are not in the least to blame 
for this. The law lays down their duty plainly, 
and they must follow the instructions. In part 
this is excellent. A person who aspires to teach 
should have a well-balanced education. How- 
ever, it must occur to you, that not every one 
who can answer questions, can teach. It has 
been the experience of some of our most con- 
scientious superintendents that some of those 
who received the highest grades at the examina- 
tion, made the most emphatic failures in the 
school- room, and that some of those who barely 
passed, honored their chosen profession. 

“Our earlier legislators formulated the laws 
regulating the licensing of teachers at a time 
when the blue-backed speller and Daboll’s A- 
rithmetic w^re the standards of an education. 


142 


TOM WILKINS. 


More recent law-makers have added to the list 
of subjects to be examined upon — under the 
memory test. 

“So, while this is perhaps a poor way, it is at 
present the only way, and we may as well make 
the best of it. We must be examined, and we 
may as well abide by it peaceably, for we will 
have to abide by it. 

“But how much more accurately, and how 
much more satisfactorily, can an intelligent, 
conscientious superintendent determine my abil- 
ity to teach and yours, by spending even a short 
time in the presence of the actual work ! 

“This may come, and applicants may be asked 
to conduct yonder arithmetic class as a specimen 
of their ability to do so. 

“Lincoln once desired a certain person, whose 
ability he had tested, appointed to a certain po- 
sition, and in a short note satirized our entire 
system of examinations. He wrote, in sub- 
stance : ‘Please appoint John to that place. He 
is a good man for the place, and I should like 
you to appoint him, even if he can’t tell the 
exact shade of CaBsar’s hair!’ 

“But we were to discuss ‘Renewals,’ not orig- 
inal issues. The law plainly says that the sup- 
erintendent must examine the applicant for an 
original issue, which is renewable at his option, 
but doesn’t say how often j for if it did it would 


TOM WILKINS. 


143 


kill the option; so I take it that he may renew 
it as often as he pleases, or may refuse to renew 
at all if he pleases to do so, with or without 
cause. 

“Let ns consider an energetic young person 
who is teaching his first school under his first 
certificate. He has been very busy doing his 
very best with a mixed school, and it is his first 
year out of school himself. His mind is cen- 
tered on success in the work in hand. This 
work is chiefly primary — something which is a 
complete study to him itself. He had almost 
forgotten his own journey through it. However, 
he has taught a good school, given splendid sat- 
isfaction, is highly elated with his success — 
proud of it. 

“The superintendent has visited his school, 
inspected his work, pronounced it good, and en- 
couraged him in his efforts. 

“Now, in all that time, it is quite remarkable 
how quickly many of the facts he had fixed in 
his mind during his attendance at school have 
dimmed an vanished ; and how he begins to re- 
alize this as examination day approaches. Then 
he studies, worries and frets. 

“ ‘What will he ask meV That’s the all-im- 
portant question. 

“Now, my question is, Is that bright young 
person to be set aside without another trial sim- 


144 


TOM WILKINS. 


ply because he could not remember who super- 
seded Burnside in the command of the Army of 
the Potomac, or failed in the short time allotted 
him to find the width of the outer third of a 
partnership grindstone ! 

“Contrast this now, with the unsatisfactory 
work of an older teacher who is retrograding 
and doesn’t care who knows it ; whose work is 
done in a slip-shod manner, the easiest way to 
get through the dayj whose choice of evening 
amusements is not the most elevating 5 who 
makes a bad impression upon the superintend- 
ent and the patrons of the school 5 who doesn’t 
want that school any more any way, but means 
to underbid another teacher and get his school, 
because one of the directors is a relative of his 
and has another director under his thumb ; and 
then comes up and happens to remember the 
answers to the questions on his slips. 

“If you were superintendent, and knew these 
circumstances, which of these two would you 
feel like continuing in the divine work of teach- 
ing? 

“Again, take the case of the primary teach- 
er in our graded schools, who has her hands full 
almost to overfiowing, and who, to keep up with 
the alert examiners who are probably plotting 
to see how many of the teachers of the county 
are able to solve certain problems, has to sacri- 


TOM WILKINS. 


145 


fice her necessary recreations and perhaps her 
health, all on account of that dreaded examina- 
tion, though, in truth, her work is excellent. 

‘‘Now, contrast this with the teacher who is 
working with more advanced pupils, who has all 
the term dwelt upon and often reviewed the 
very ground most likely to be touched upon by 
the examiner. He goes to the examination with- 
out reviewing, looks at the questions and smiles, 
and wishes he had an opportunity to answer 
them off-hand to save writing. Such an easy 
examination! Now, is he really brighter than 
she? No, he is merely up on this particular 
line. It’s his specialty. He has worked it for 
a year, and he can work it for an examination. 

“If you were superintendent, would you re- 
fuse to renew that tried and true primary teach- 
er’s license because her grades footed up a total 
lacking of 1 percent of passing? 

“But of course our teachers must be progress- 
ive. I don’t want to go on record as advocating 
the granting of certificates to those not deserv- 
ing, or of renewing certificates for those who 
cease to be progressive, who are actually retro- 
grading, just because they are nice fellows or a- 
greeable ladies. Neither do I believe in grant- 
ing certificates or renewing them for the sake of 
charity, if the recipient is undeserving. It is 
misplaced charity, or rather, it is uncharitable 


T. \v-io. 


146 


TOM WILKINS. 


to those who patronize the school and pay for 
it. Other charitable institutions are cheaper. 

the superintendent has any means of 
knowing a teacher’s worth, and knows that he 
has a Avell-roiinded education, not merely a 
memory stuffed for the oecasiou, he is safe in 
renewing his certificate. But if the renewing of 
that license should make that erstwhile alert 
teacher rest on his oars, drift off into the 
dreamy hallucination of his ovm infallibility, he 
had better require him to take the examination. 
For it is the teacher who dotes upon infalli- 
bility in the first person who needs watching. 
He had better do a little memory stuffing than 
do nothing. 

“I have heard it proudly said, and used as a 
convincing argument by a radical person, that a 
teacher should be put through a hard examina- 
tion at least once a year, because the govern- 
ment has its civil service examination very 
strict. But I should like you to consider a mail 
clerk’s examination, and see the difference. He 
is given a certain railroad line and told to pre- 
pare on it. He knows exactly what he wdll 
have to do, and stuffs it into his memory, and 
is examined upon all of it. But has he im- 
proved his general education! No, some other 
things, I dare say, were crowded out to make 
room for that. 


TOM WILKINS. 


147 


“Our memories are like a large valise, packed 
with a variety of articles. The story is told of 
a lordly person, who gave his valet a list of the 
things he wanted taken along on a journey. 
The valise was carefully packed with everything 
requisite, and a few more which the dutiful ser- 
vant thought his lordship might have forgotten 
to mention. At every stop they made, several 
of the articles were called for. Now, the ser- 
vant had placed those things on top which he 
thought most likely to be called for first. But 
he greatly vexed his lordship by having missed 
his judgement, and having to hunt through the 
pack for the articles named, often not finding 
them. So he re-arranged the whole pack, only 
to find that he had placed the wrong articles on 
top. He had them all there, but he lost his job 
because he couldn’t find them. 

“How often have you stuffed your memory, 
carefully placing on top the things you expected 
to need first, and then have gone to the exami- 
nation room to find that you had to overhaul the 
pack? 

“However, I think this problem of the Re- 
newal of Certificates, as well as original issues, 
which is probably more important, will be set- 
tled, and the teachers will have a hand in set- 
tling them. 

“Some way out of this mental distortionary 


148 


TOM WILKINS. 


method will be found, which will place teaching 
on a higher level than it has ever reached. 
What it will be, I dare not predict, but it will 
come. It cannot always be, when so many 
things must enter into the make-up of a good 
teacher, that we are continually to be drawn out 
in the direction of memory ! 

“Some of our wisest educators are thinking 
deeply on this subject, and something is going 
to come of it ! ’ ’ 


TOM WILKINS. 


149 


CHAPTER XIV. 

SOME MORE POLITICS. 

When Tom took his seat, after having finished 
reading the foregoing paper, the superintendent 
took the floor and tried to make some remarks 
in his own defense, showing all that he had 
taken some of the remarks in the paper as if 
they were intended to rub him personally. But 
such was not the case. However, a superficial 
friendship existed between them, and a few 
years later Tom was employed to teach in the 
county institute. 

The turns in the political world brought Tom 
the nomination the next time with very little 
elfort on his part, notwithstanding that the ex- 
city superintendent would have been pleased to 
succeed himself. They had talked the matter 
over often, and Tom had insisted that he would 
not be a canditate for the nomination if the pres- 
ent incumbent wanted to serve another term. 

The matter was so undecided that Tom did 
not bother about it very much. Scheming politi- 


150 


TOM WILKINS. 


cians, however, took the matter up, and not de- 
siring to nominate all the candidates from the 
county seat, and having a few that just must he 
nominated, sacrificed the chances of the present 
incumbent and the superintendent’s office being 
the last to fill in the convention — the tail of the 
court house, as it is called — offered the nomina- 
tion to Tom by acclamation. 

We do not mean to take you through his cam- 
paign further than to say that he did everything 
in his power to divorce that office from the ac- 
customed political methods, tried to keep it free 
from all personal feeling, often incurred the dis- 
pleasure of the committee by demurring to many 
of their suggestions as to the kind of campaign 
he should conduct. He treated his opponent 
with the utmost courtesy, and v/on out in the 
election by a reasonable majority, though much 
hard work had been done to defeat him. 

He entered upon the duties of his office on a 
bright frosty morning in December. That day 
was spent in getting acquainted with the books 
and fixtures of the office. He was amazed to 
find the office so scantily furnished. He visited 
some of the other offices and made comparison. 


TOM WILKINS. 


151 


They had about everything they needed, while 
he had practically nothing. He wondered why 
this partiality was shown. One of the other 
officers told him that probably the superintend- 
ents heretofore had never asked for anything 
better, being probably timid about it or afraid 
of making enemies of the board by seeming ex- 
travagant. 

Tom thought over this and decided that if he 
did not get his office fitted up with those things 
that he deemed it needed, it should not be on 
account of any delicacy on his part about asking 
for the improvements. He could not figure out 
any real reason why his office should be the 
“tail of the court house. He decided to see 
the proper authorities about the matter. 

On the second day of his official career, he vis- 
ited the little school in district 6, where years ago 
he had begun his career as a teacher. That visit 
was full of pleasant remembrances, carrying 
him back to one of the happiest periods of his 
life. 

A great many visitors called upon Tom during 
the first few days of his term of office. To all 
these he extended a most cordial welcome. His 


152 


TOM WILKINS. 


conversation was genteel, his manner polite and 
attractive, giving his guests so comfortable a 
feeling that they went away with a feeling that 
they should like to come back again. True 
courtesy, you know, is one necessary ingredient 
of him who desires to be successful in any pub- 
lic office. Tom practiced it through the good- 
ness of his heart, and it was so natural to him 
that no one could suppose for a moment that he 
was making any special effort to make the right 
kind of an impression. He had laid it down as 
an inviolable rule that all comers must have the 
most courteous treatment, even to book agents, 
and some say that is carrying his official etiquette 
farther than a great many others do. This 
course won him many friends, as it will do for 
any one. 

The greater part of Tom's time was taken up 
with the work of supervision, and he found the 
visiting of schools a pleasant task. He ob- 
served many things that made him think. The 
different schools and the differences in the local 
communities, the differences in the teachers 
themselves all made impressions upon him. He 
was pained to see that so many of the schools 


TOM WILKINS. 


153 


were without the necessary apparatus, and furn- 
ish(^d in the simplest manner. In many of 
them libraries had never been dreamed of, dic- 
tionaries not even being provided. Many of the 
rooms were small, dark and dingy, and had not 
seen a white-wash brush or even a scrub-rag in 
years. Wall maps were an absent quantity, 
while the blackboards were often rude, painted- 
wood affairs that were unsatisfactory in the ex- 
treme. 

But this condition was not altogether on ac- 
count of the poverty of the districts or the 
stinginess of directors, for several of them had 
invested in lovely charts that told all there is to 
learn about everything at a glance, being so ab- 
solutely perfect (as represented by the enter- 
prising agent) as to almost dispense with the 
services of a teacher. And they had paid e- 
nough for these gaudily illustrated self-educa- 
tors to have provided the school with an “Inter- 
national” and a handsome collection of choice 
books for a school library. 

Why this state of affairs! Why, because the 
average member of the board of directors, es- 
pecially in the rural districts, does not know 


154 


TOM WILKINS. 


what the school really does need, and the teach- 
er, if he knows, himself, is often too timid to 
insist upon the purchase of supplies which 
might cause him to be criticised for seeming ex- 
travagance, which criticism might result in the 
future employment of a teacher who would not 
be quite so officious, for while the directors are 
often ignorant as to the needs of the school, 
they are often sensitive about being told so by 
the person they have employed to teach their 
school. Herein the teacher diffiers from the 
agent. 

The latter goes after the board for business ; 
tells them, and often convinces them, that they 
know very little about the needs of the school j 
proceeds to play upon this ignorance j expatiates 
upon the merits of his particular piece of mer- 
chandise; proves to them that their children are 
a set of dullards simply because they have never 
had the advantages that can be derived from the 
use of this particular chart; shows them that 
the intelligence of the community will rise at a 
bound from the time they sign the order for the 
chart, and that that district will become famous 
for the enlightenment of its citizens, and thus 


TOM WILKINS. 


155 


be a most desirable place in which to live, and 
the price of land will increase to such an extent 
that the price of the chart that did it all will 
pale into insignificance by comparison j and gets 
the order, because that is his business. If all 
these arguments had not secured the desired re- 
sults, others would have been produced. 

Are school boards really imposed upon in this 
way? Well, you go into the field and see. You 
will not always have to go into the rural dis- 
tricts, either, for your information. 

Tom felt his way cautiously, as many a super- 
intendent has done, who has not had the exper- 
ience that is gained by the teacher who teaches 
in many different communities. He made co- 
pious notes of what he saw, and as he studied 
over these it began to dawn upon him what an 
herculean task there was before him if he un- 
dertook to correct all the ills that he had already 
found in the school system of the county. He 
predicted that if he tried to change too many 
things at once he would be met with severe crit- 
icism which, while it would not bother him per- 
sonally, would hamper his usefulness greatly. 
So he studied the situation and kept his own 


15G 


TOM WILKINS. 


counsel for a time. 

He met and talked with many characters of 
board members. Some of them seemed not to 
know that they had any other duties to perform 
than to employ the teacher, buy the fuel and 
take care of the door-key during the vacation. 
One director with whom Tom talked seemed to 
think that his sole duty in his official capacity 
lay in keeping the taxes of the district down. 
Did you ever hear of such a thing! Don’t get 
alarmed now, you know you have if you have 
observed men and things. 

All of this was a fund of problems to keep 
one busy thinking for a long time. When Tom 
found himself alone in the office on Saturday 
mornings (for his visitors came chiefly in the 
afternoon) he went over what he had observed, 
and wondered if he would ever be able to cause 
the light to break in some of these districts. 
Progress is a matter of growth in matters edu- 
cational, as well as in other things, and Tom 
felt sure that he could sow some seed that would 
be profitable in the future. What should it be! 
Where should he begin! It just dawned upon 
him that the addition of a few books to the 


TOM WILKINS. 


157 


scanty furnishings of the greater part of the 
schools would be a step in the right direction. 
But he did not know how to procure the books. 
In many of the districts the directors would re- 
fuse to use the public funds for that purpose. 
Still he felt that if . he could ever get the chil- 
dren interested in the reading of well-selected 
supplementary books, they would leave the right 
impressions on their parents, and more books 
would be provided when the parents saw the ad- 
vantages they were giving their children. 

Parents are ruled by their children more than 
most of them are willing to admit, and one 
splendid way to gain the good will of the par- 
ent is first to gain the good will of the child. 
Parents naturally think their children are fully 
as intelligent as other children, and that is right, 
too. A mother will love you forever if you tell 
her what a darling little angel her first-born is, 
and if it happens to be a boy, the father will in 
all probability insist upon your staying for din- 
ner, and think you the wisest man in the neigh- 
borhood, if you happen to suggest that he is 
‘‘a chip off of the old block. ’’ 

You don’t believe that? Well you have not 


158 


TOM WILKINS. 


observed as closely as some people have. This 
same species of egotism (for admiring one’s 
own children is very much the same as admiring 
one’s own self) will often show itself in a de- 
fensive manner, when the boy goes home with a 
tale of woe a yard long, and probably most of 
it manufactured on the way home, about how 
that teacher abused him at school, and the par- 
ent will immediately don his fighting clothes 
and proceed to the educational institution to 
teach that young upstart of a teacher that his 
boy is as good as any body else’s boy, and must 
not be abused. It’s the way of the world, and 
many teachers will say “Amen,” as they read 
this, which will be responded to by a few par- 
ents. 

But enough of this diversion ! We shall try 
to get back to Tom in the next chapter. 


TOM WILKINS. 


159 


CHAPTER XV. 

SOME IMPROVEMENTS. 

One Saturday morning Tom entered his office 
in rather gloomy spirits. He had been in office 
about three weeks and had not turned the world 
over yet. Of course, dear reader, the world 
had turned over several times, but Tom had not 
caused it to do so. Besides, we did not mean 
that as literally as you probably took it. We 
meant 'Tom’s little world, which comprised the 
educational interests of the county. He began 
to see the enormity of the task before him, and 
particularly so when he remembered that his 
chief influence over directors is of an advisory 
nature. 

He looked around his office and found two 
flat- top tables, three chairs, one massive wooden 
case containing shelves for books and pigeon- 
holes for filing papers, and one tumble-down 
stove. A fine array of furniture ! 

While he was engaged in these observations 
in came the young man who had occupied the 


160 


TOM WILKINS. 


office four years before, and who had been de- 
feated by the ex-city superintendent. He greet- 
ed Tom cordially and received a hearty wel- 
come from the present superintendent. 

“I have been wanting to come in to see you 
ever since you have been in office,” he said, 
“but I have been so busy on the days that you 
were here that I have not had the time. I want 
to congratulate you and wish you success. Well, 
it looks quite natural in here. You see I have 
not been in the office more than twice since I left 
it, and then I received such chilly receptions 
that I quit coming.” 

Tom knew that there had been considerable 
feeling between his two predecessors on account 
of things that had come up during the campaign 
four years before, but he did not think the rup- 
ture had been so great, so he said : 

‘T am glad to welcome you, and to assure you 
that you will always be a welcome visitor in this 
office while I am here. I want you to come as 
often as you wish, and feel at liberty to go over 
as much of the old as you wish to.” 

How much better to have such feelings even 
for one’s political opponents, than to testify to 


TOM WILKINS. IGl 

the world that we are narrow and selfish. The 
educational forces of the county are weak 
enough when they are united, and they are ren- 
dered much less useful when those who should 
work together allow partisan thoughts to cause 
them to pull in opposite directions. 

Before the visitor left he showed Tom more in 
a half-hour about the books and papers of the 
office than he could have found out in a day. 
Of course, he would have found all these things, 
but how much nicer to have some one to go 
over the ground with him. He said to himself 
that when he left the office he would have things 
in such shape that he could initiate his successor 
in a short time, and he meant to do so no mat- 
ter who that successor might be. 

Tom’s visitor left shortly with a promise to 
return some time, and Tom continued his ob- 
servations. When the board of supervisors 
met in the spring, Tom requested the committee 
on court house to call at his office, for he had 
something to talk to them about. 

They came, three in number. Tom treated 
them courteously, and soon came to the point 
for which he had requested their presence. He 


T. W.— 11. 


TOM Wn.KINS. 


I(i2 

called their attention to the scantily furnished 
room, and asked them to make a comparison of 
the furnishings of this room, with those of the 
other offices in the court house. Thej^ talked 
the matter over, deciding that there was not as 
much in this room as the others had, but one of 
them thought that this is only the superintend- 
ent’s office, and it didn’t need much furniture. 
The other superintendents got along with this 
and Tom ought to do the same. 

“Now, gentlemen,” said Tom, “that is not 
business, and you know it. The spirit that you 
display in the matter of properly furnishing this 
office is the spirit that obstructs the progress of 
the schools all over the county. There is a gen- 
eral feeling that ‘any old thing’ is good enough 
for the schools, and many boards have acted on 
that supposition in the matter of school furnish- 
ing to the detriment of the work of the schools. 
You know, when you take a second sober 
thought, that there is nothing that has the in- 
fluence over the rising generations, the future 
citizens of the republic, that the schools have. 
That influence will be an exalted one or the 
other kind in proportion to the care and atten- 


TOM WILKINS. 


1G3 


tion we give the schools. If we neglect them 
and furnish them carelessly we inculcate into 
the minds of the pupils the spirit of careless- 
ness that will go with them through life. This 
office is necessarily the center of the educational 
system of the county, and if it is neglected the 
teachers will carry to their districts the idea that 
it does not matter much how school is kept, and 
the influence will be bad. Reforms must begin 
at the top, and if we wish to see the school 
rooms of the county neat and attractive, this 
office must take the lead in the matter.” 

By this time the members of the committee 
were looking quite sober. They had never 
heard of county superintendent talking so plain- 
ly and so positively about what his office needed. 
They had been accustomed to have that official 
suggest timidly that certain things would be 
helpful to the work, but appearing as if about 
to collapse as the suggestion was ventured, and 
they had turned the superintendent down so 
often that he had quit asking for things, and de- 
termined to get along the best he could with 
what he had rather than run the risk of incur- 
ring the displeasure of the members of the 


1G4 


TOM WILKINS. 


committee. Here was Tom Wilkins arguing the 
matter with members of the county board, and 
his arguments had the elements of sincerity and 
sound sense about them. This was what sobered 
the committee. 

‘‘Well/’ said an elderly member of the com- 
mittee, “what is it you would like to have!” 

“Gentlemen,” said Tom, “I should like to 
have a roll top desk in which to keep the sta- 
tionery of the office. These desks are now used 
in most every business in the country and are a 
great convenience to business men.” 

There was not a desk of this description in 
the court house, and the spokesman of the com- 
mittee inquired of Tom what it would cost. Tom 
told him, and pressing him to know if he 
thought that piece of furniture necessary to his 
work, Tom replied that while it was not abso- 
lutely essential it would greatly increase the 
ability of the superintendent to keep things in 
some sort of shape. He pointed out to them 
that so far as absolute necessity was concerned, 
it was really not any more necessary to the of- 
fice than a self-binder is to a well-regulated 
farm. Wheat could be cut with a sickle and 


TOM WILKINS. 


165 


bound by hand. This clinched the argument 
and Tom was given permission to order what- 
ever he wanted in the way of furniture. After 
the committee left the office, one of them said 
to another : 

“Well, after all, Tom Wilkins is right. I 
know we have neglected that office, but no one 
ever called our attention to it like he has done. 
I predict that fellow will put new life into the 
school system of the county. He seems to be 
manly and not afraid to ask for what he thinks 
he needs.’’ 

Tom’s desk came in due time, and was a sub- 
ject of considerable curiosity to the other offi- 
cials and the usual loungers around the court 
house for several days. Some of the other offi- 
cers thought that a desk like that was needed in 
their own offices. They consulted Tom about 
how he secured his. Just think of it! Con- 
sulting the county superintendent about the 
furnishings of his office, when in the very large 
majority of the counties the furnishings of his 
office is not worthy of notice even. The result 
was that before Tom had spent six months in 
the office, half of the offices in the court house 


1G6 


TOM WILKINS. 


were provided with desks of the same pattern, 
and great blessings they were, too. 

Do yon believe that Tom lowered himself in 
the estimation of that committee by insisting 
upon improvement! You know he did not. 
People like a man to have positive ideas and to 
stand up for them. The surprise about it was 
that this spirit was found in the office of county 
superintendent. 


TOM WILKINS. 


167 


CHAPTER XVI. 

INSTITUTE PLANS. SOME DIRECTORS AND SOME 
TEACHERS. 

Tom made arrangements for his first Insti- 
tute. He felt that the teachers ought to know 
his views on Institutes so that they might the 
more readily co-operate with him for the success 
of the work in general. His circular announc- 
ing the date and general plan of the Institute 
was rather longer than those usually sent out 
from the office. He regretted this, hut did not 
see how he could make it any shorter and say 
what he wanted to say. Besides giving the 
u'^’ual dates and general points of information, 
he made these general observations : 

“If you have the proper professional spirit, 
you will he there without any further invitation 
or information than simply to know the date of 
the Institute. Attendance simply because it is 
asked by the superintendent, and for fear of in- 
curring his displeasure in case of absence, has 
not the right motive behind it and is non-pro- 
fessional in the highest degree. It is the duty 
of the county superintendent to render the 


168 


TOM WILKINS. 


greatest possible service to the schools of the 
county ; in fact, he has obligated himself to do 
so, and he is not fulfilling that obligation if he 
does not fill the schools with teachers morally 
above reproach and professionally above criti- 
cism. The present incumbent feels the weight 
of this obligation and expects to exert his ut- 
most endeavors to do his duty as he sees it, and 
confidently expects the hearty support of every 
person in the county who has the welfare of the 
schools at heart ; and what a ridiculous propo- 
sition it would be to suppose that any one who 
expects to teach should not be among the num- 
ber ! 

“Your humble servant, the superintendent, 
desires to say to you that he has served in every 
capacity in the school room except the exclu- 
sively primary or the exclusively scientific de- 
partments, and firmly believes that his constant 

participation in the work of the County 

Teachers^ Association and the various Institutes 
has been of more value to him than any other 
one or two things. Constant association with 
educational minds helps to form the habits of 
teaching aright 5 and correct habits are invalu- 
able. Having served in the diflCerent departments 
of school work, he feels that he can truly sym- 
pathize with any teacher in his or her troubles 
and difficulties. Therefore, he desires to be re- 


TOM WILKINS. 


169 


garded as the friend of every true teacher every- 
where. 

“The purpose of the Institute is not to pre- 
pare teachers for examination, nor is it to show 
how much the teacher does not know, nor is it 
to show how much the instructors do know, nor 
is it to give the superintendent an opportunity 
to show any of the authority that some might 
think attaches to the office, nor is it to give the 
teachers an opportunity to cultivate the social 
features only. No ! It has a much higher and 
nobler purpose, viz. : It is to help poor teachers 
(if there be any such) to become good teachers, 
and to help good teachers to become better teach- 
ers, to place teaching on a higher plane, to in- 
crease enthusiasm, and to unite the educational 
forces of the county in such a manner as shall 
result in raising the standard of education in 
the county. 

“This county enjoys the proud distinction of 
being in the front rank of counties in this part 
of the state in the work of her schools. Let us 
maintain that reputation and improve upon it all 
we can. It is pleasant to know that all it re- 
quires is, that all work together in great earn- 
estness.’’ 

This circular was sent to every teacher in the 
county, and was received most favorably by the 
best class of teachers. First class talent had 


170 


TOM WILKINS. 


been secured to conduct the work of the insti- 
tute, and every one believed that the work would 
be fully up to the standard. 

Many things furnished much food for thought. 
During the first six months of his service, Tom 
made notes of those things that he thought were 
injuring the work of the schools. These he 
wrote out carefully in the form of short talks 
which he gave to the teachers as opportunity 
offered. 

He had attended the meeting of the State 
Teachers’ Association and received much en- 
couragement and many helpful suggestions. 
He wondered how any county superintendent 
could afford to stay away from these meetings. 
But he noticed that a great many did. The won- 
derfully fine lectures that were given at the 
evening sessions inspired him to greater effort. 
He made notes of many of the points that came 
up at the meeting and looked over them often. 

Of all the things that Tom had to ponder 
over, probably nothing occupied more of his 
time this first year of his official work than did 
the teacher and the director. There is an old 
saying that “As the teacher is, so is the school.” 


TOM WILKINS. 


171 


While that is nearly the truth, still this thought- 
ful person could not leave the director out of 
the combination. What an influence good, sen- 
sible directors have over teachers, and particu- 
larly young teachers, and over pupils ! Tom 
had known where the indifference of directors 
had allowed the school to drift to the verge of 
ruin, notwithstanding that the teacher was fair- 
ly sensible. 

By this time he knew a great many directors 
personally, and while most of them were good 
men, there were also a large number of them 
who were not capable of performing the duties 
of that office as they should be performed. 

Some had accepted the position to be exempt 
from the annual road labor that the rural citi- 
zens are expected to do. Some schemed for the 
place because some dear relative was out of a 
job, and the school in that district would just 
suit the aforesaid dear relative. One gentleman 
with a business turn of mind wanted to be di- 
rector that he might be influential in securing 
the appointment of the son of a widow who 
lived in the neighborhood to the position of 
teacher. You see, there was a balance of near- 


172 


TOM WILKINS. 


ly a hundred dollars due him from the widow 
on a debt which her departed husband had con- 
tracted, and he did not wish to press the matter, 
for he knew, as every one else did, that she had 
hard enough a time to keep the wolf from the 
door, and send her numerous flock to school to 
get such education as might be of use to them 
in the future, and assist her in providing the 
necessaries of life. He felt that if he got this 
boy appointed, he would get his money and at 
the same time people would praise him for having 
done a kind deed for a worthy family. But 
secretly the money was the stronger considera- 
tion for him. 

One director of Tom’s acquaintance was some- 
what of a carpenter, and knew that there would 
be some repairs needed on the school house, and 
felt that if he were on the board he would get 
the greater part of the work. Don’t criticise 
our knowledge of the law that does not permit 
directors to let contracts to themselves. They 
did not. The contracts in this case were let to 
this director’s hired man (who couldn’t saw to 
a line if his life depended upon it) and the di- 
rector did the greater part of the work. They 


TOM WILKINS. 


173 


divided the money somehow. We will ^ness 
how. 

There were also quite a number of directors 
who sacrificed much of their valuable time in 
the interest of the schools. Such a variety of 
officers must of necessity have a variety of opin- 
ions as to what good school is and how to get it. 

Then there were the teachers, themselves. 
Here was one who was teaching just to keep 
himself in pocket change while he was prepar- 
ing to enter one of the professions. Tom could 
not blame him, knowing what he did about the 
salaries and the uncertainty as to positions. 
Here was a young lady who has been unsuccess- 
ful in her social conquests, and felt she must 
repair her depleted treasury in some work, and 
teaching looked more inviting than the work of 
a servant. And yet we have known servants to 
have money on interest, and teachers, too, once 
in a great while. Then there was another 
young lady, just barely of the legal age to be 
licensed to teach, who could pursue her social 
conquests and teach school too ; who could leave 
olf at any time that her “fairy prince’’ arrived 
upon the scene. Then there was the old timer. 


174 


TOM WILKINS. 


who had taught so long that he was fit for 
nothing else. He had found out years ago that 
after a man has taught a certain number of 
years, it is the hardest business there is to quit. 
He has often faced the proposition that many 
another teacher has faced : It is either get a 
school at whatever salary, or go to the poor 
house. 

There were also some teachers who loved the 
work so dearly that they would never leave it 
until they were compelled to, and who man- 
aged to save something of their earnings, and 
perhaps establish a home of their own in their 
own snug little building. But these cases were 
extremely rare. 

What records there v/ere in the office showed 
that not less than one-fourth of the teachers left 
the business each year for various reasons. All 
these conditions taken together convinced Tom 
more strongly that his task was no easy one. 


TOM WILKINS. 


175 


CHAPTER XVII. 

AN EXAMINATION. 

Tom had often felt perplexed over the matter 
of teachers’ salaries. He had a great desire to 
raise the standard of education in his county, 
and reasoned with himself that it would be a 
very difficult matter to secure a better grade of 
teachers, or to get his present corps to improve 
themselves as he felt they should at the present 
rate of wages. The problem was, how to get 
the directors to pay for the kind of teachers 
they should have. Directors are, as Tom knew 
very well, and as yon know very well yourself 
if you have ever interviewed them from the 
standpoint of an applicant, very shy about rais- 
ing wages. Some of them seem to think that 
fifteen dollars a month is enough for any teach- 
er. “Why that’s as much as I pay my farm 
hand,” said one director, “and he works all 
day and Saturdays too.” 

Let us think over the subject and see whether 
that farm hand has not a better position so far 


17G 


TOM WILKINS. 


as salary is concerned than the teacher has. 
Take an average price of thirty-five dollars per 
months, six months in the year and you have 
two hundred ten dollars for the year. Now 
count the teacher’s board at say three dollars a 
week for fifty- two weeks and you have one hun- 
dred fifty-six dollars. 

But, you say, he only teaches six months. 
Yes, but he has to live twelve months to be 
ready to begin the next term, does he not! 
And still you argue that many of the teachers 
board at home. Well, isn’t it worth just as 
much to board at home as it is to l)oard some 
where else! 

Then set aside fifty dollars for clothing, ten 
dollars for professional literature, ten more for 
institutes and teachers’ meetings, and without 
allowing anything for the luxuries or pleasures 
of life you have counted up more than his sala- 
ry amounted to. The farm hand gets his wages 
every month in the year and his board besides. 
Which of the two can save the more money for 
the period of life when they will not be able to 
keep up the active duties of life! 

The teachers are sometimes to blame for not 


TOM WILKINS. 


177 


receiving as much for their work as they should. 
They are too much afraid of losing their posi- 
tions altogether to venture to ask for what they 
really earn. 

Then, too, the too frequent changes in the 
schools suggested to Tom a possible reason for 
the salaries remaining as low as they were. 
Teachers, also, sometimes lost their profession- 
al pride sufficiently to allow themselves to come 
into competition with their fellows, and by cross 
bidding, if they did not secure a position which 
some other seemed able to hold, at least caused 
him to accept the position at a reduced salary to 
keep it at all. 

With these things on his mind, Tom conduct- 
ed his first examination. The work of looking 
over the papers of the dozen applicants who 
wrote this examination occupied several days. 
Tom had concluded, and we think correctly, that 
if it were a little harder to become a teacher, 
there would uot be quite so many, and the mat- 
ter of injurious competition would at least be 
partially averted. So you need not be surprised 
to learn that very few passed this first examina- 
tion. This fact soon became noised around and 


T. W.— 12. 


178 


TOM WILKINS. 


quite a number who had decided to try the ex- 
amination under the new superintendent, con- 
cluded to go to school a while longer. 

One day shortly after sending out the reports 
of the examination, a rather large, burly gen- 
tleman came into the office to “see about’ ^ 
Jane’s certificate. Jane had failed to pass and 
her “Pa” was indignant, and had come up to 
the office to fix the matter up with that young 
superintendent. Tom greeted him cordially, 
and he began : 

“Now, look-a-here, Mr. Wilkins, how’s’t 
about my gal’s papers !” 

“I am very sorry that I can not place you, 
and do not know which one of the young ladies 
who wrote the examination is your daughter,” 
said Tom. 

The visitor introduced himself and went on 
to expatiate upon the merits of his first-born. 
According to his story, she was certainly a 
prodigy in eyerything, and knew vastly more 
than any one in the county had ever known be- 
fore, or would ever know again. Been a county 
superintendent? Then you know how it is. 
She was away ahead of the other “gals” and 


TOM WILKINS. 


179 


had often helped the teacher out when that per- 
son got “stalleded” on some knotty point. 

While all this was being said, Tom had gone 
through the papers and had discovered that 
while this young lady was probably all that a 
fond parent had pictured her to be, she had not 
“put it down on the paper’’ as Tom had assured 
them they would h^ve to do if they expected to 
get credit for their knowledge. He said noth- 
ing, but allowed his visitor to “run down,” and 
then kept his eyes fixed upon the papers while 
he knew he was being stared at by his visitor, 
who was wondering why he did not immediately 
write out that certificate. When the irate visi- 
tor had had time to cool off a little, Tom said : 

“Here are your daughter’s papers. I am 
ready to go over them with you, if you think 
you are capable of passing judgment upon them, 
or I will go over them with your daughter in 
your presence, aud if she is one-half as intelli- 
gent as you say she is. I’ll convince her in a 
few minutes that she received as high an aver- 
age as her work warranted.” 

Then Tom read over some of the questions 
and the young lady’s answers to them and was 


180 


TOM WILKINS. 


interrupted several times by the fond parent’s 
saying that Jane knew better than that but had 
just failed to write it down, probably being in a 
state of excitement. Seeing clearly that his 
daughter had omitted several important things 
that she should have included in her work — if 
she knew them — and feeling that Tom was not 
to be touched by criticising# his judgment, the 
visitor changed his tactics somewhat and re- 
minded Tom that he was one of the committee- 
men in township, and had just about 

been responsible for Tom’s election. 

“Well,” said Tom, “you wanted me to do my 
duty, did you not? You would not expect me 
to write certificates in return for votes, would 
you? Besides, my majority was more than one, 
and I should have still been elected if you had 
voted the other way. Let me say to you plain- 
ly that your daughter will receive a certificate 
when she shows by her work that she is worthy 
of one, and not before.” 

The gentleman went away in a surly mood, 
and yet somewhat perplexed at the firmness 
Tom had exhibited. Let us add that Jane came 
back to the next examination, apoligized to Tom 


TOM WILKINS. 


181 


for what her father had said, assuring him that 
she knew she had not passed, but her father 
could not be reconciled to the fact that his 
daughter had failed, adding that she had tried 
to keep him from coming. Jane received a cer- 
tificate the next year after having spent three 
term& in a training school, and is now one of 
the best lady teachers in the county. 

Do you believe she would have been if Tom 
had humored her political ^^Pa!” Perhaps you 
do, but we do not. 

Would it be surprising to you to learn that 
this old gentleman developed into one of Tom’s 
warmest supporters, and would often silence a 
semblance to criticism by remarking that ‘‘Tom 
might make mistakes, like every one else does, 
bat he U honest at heart, and if you go to him 
he’ll not dodge you”! 


182 


TOM WILKINS. 


CHAPTER XVIIL 

A RECREATION. LIBRARY PLANS. 

The bright, sunny spring days came, when 
all nature seemed in bloom, and the earth- cov- 
ered up the scars of a rather rough winter with 
a coat of velvet green interspersed with the rich- 
est flowers of nature^s handiwork These days 
lured Tom into the country amidst rich fields, 
along sparkling brooks, in the deep, dense for- 
est that bordered a small river near his home. 
Here he took in the full enjoyment of Nature’s 
rejuvenation, and felt younger and more vigor- 
ous himself. The scent of the wild flowers in- 
toxicated him. What more lovely thing has 
God made than a perfect flower! The great 
Beecher has said that “Flowers are the sweetest 
things that God ever made and forgot to put a 
soul into.” Flowers are to Nature what poetry 
is to the human soul. These sentiments found 
an echoing chord in the breast of Tom Wilkins 
on a bright May morning as he strolled listless- 
ly along the green banks of the swiftly gliding 


TOM WILKINS. 


183 


stream ttat he had visited many a time in his 
youth. 

He could not just understand why the close 
communion with Nature in the wild primaeval 
state in which he found her this morning should 
produce such pleasant thoughts, or cause such a 
feeling of relief. He had just, as he thought, 
laid aside the many cares of his official work 
and taken a recreation ; had cut himself away 
from all the ills that affect the public school 
system, the indifference of the general public as 
to the kind of schools they Send their children 
to, the scheming of small-souled people who be- 
lieve that the schools are in existence for their 
pecuniary benefit, or the benefit of some of their 
relatives, the political prejudices which other- 
wise good men allow to control their actions, the 
criticism of those who are not capable of criti- 
cising, and the thousand and one ills, “too nu- 
merous to mention,” that those who undertake 
the divine work of teaching are heirs to. All 
of these he had just laid aside for the time and 
found himself in the pure elements of Nature 
along the wooded banks of the sparkling stream 
that kept up its untiring murmur as it rolled on 


184 


TOM WILKINS. 


toward the sea, just as it had done for years and 
years and years, when it slaked the thirst and 
cooled the brow of the Indian hunter before the 
white man had thought out a path across the 
trackless deep to found new empires in a virgin 
world. 

Somehow this river typified the fiow of edu- 
cational infiuence to him. While the waters 
that now form the riyer are not the identical 
particles that formed it years ago, so the teach- 
ers that now conduct the schools are not the 
teachers of the past, or of the future (except in 
infiuence), but still the educational system must 
fiow on, and increasingly keep up its forward 
movement to arrive at its destination — the bet- 
terment of the human race. 

To be sure there are many snags and obstruc- 
tions in the way of both, and many places where 
the progress seems almost imperceptible, but 
the school system must take a lesson from the 
river, and pass by what obstructions it can not 
remove, and leave them behind to be met and 
contended with by future comers. But progress 
must not cease. 

Tom could not avoid makiog the above obser- 


TOM WILKINS. 


185 


vations, for while he had determined to take a 
half-day to himself in the deep wild woods, he 
could not altogether lay aside thoughts that had 
occupied all his time for so long. You know 
that when teachers have company they talk 
school, and when they are alone they think 
school, and they just can’t help it. 

The result of his half-day’s recreation was a 
determination to move along the lines of what 
he thought was right for the schools, and to try 
to advance the cause of education a little during 
his brief opportunity. 

One day while in his office thinking over the 
work in general and wondering what he might 
do to help the work materially, he recalled his 
first effort at securing a library for the little 
school in district 6. How many times his mind 
went back to the pleasant remembrances of that 
little educational institution! He could not 
think but that if the children had plenty of 
good, wholesome reading they would develop 
more rapidly, become broader, and the schools 
would lay the foundation for that culture that 
comes only from the persistent reading of good 
books. He would be pleased beyond description 


186 


TOM WILKINS. 


if every school in the county had a suitable li- 
brary of its own. But he knew that was im- 
practicable at present. The shyness of directors 
about spending money for books, the indiffer- 
ence of the teachers in the work of creating a 
sentiment in favor of good books, and the op- 
position of parents who did not understand and 
could not understand the situation, all lay in 
the way of his plans. How could he create that 
demand from his office? After thinking over it 
some time, this is the way he settled it in his 
own mind. 

He would undertake to place a county central 
library in his offiee, to be supplied with good 
books graded to suit the needs of the pupils. 
From this library every teacher in the county 
might select a few books, take them to the 
school, interest the pupils in them, have them 
read, talked about, taken to the homes of the 
parents in the evenings and over Sundays. 

But how could he do all this? He must take 
the teachers into his confidence, enlist their 
sympathies in the cause, and then call upon 
them to make such donations from their own 
collections as they could well spare, and this 


TOM WILKINS. 


187 


should be the beginning of a library that should 
grow and make its influence felt for good in 
every nook and corner of the county. 

At the annual Institute Tom made a talk on 
the subject of a central library and by his earn- 
estness and his solid arguments succeeded in 
starting the move off at once. Later in the In- 
stitute, one afternoon while Tom was temporar- 
ily absent from the .room, a meeting of the 
County Association was called and that body 
pledged itself to raise quite a large sum of mon- 
ey to be expended for books for the central 
library before the close of the next school year. 

This money was to be secured by entertain- 
ments, pie socials, box suppers, etc., in fact, in 
any way possible. When Tom heard of this 
move he was somewhat agreeably surprised. 
He had not expected his plan to meet such 
hearty approval. 

Of course, there were those who ridiculed the 
idea, and those who objected to the people of 
the county collecting a lot of books to be stored 
up in the court house for the benefit of the 
immediate community. So very narrow are 
some people that if you wished to fence them 


188 


TOM WILKINS. 


in you would have to make a solid wall around 
them or they would slip out through the cracks 
These criticisms did not bother Tom for he 
knew that they did not understand the plan. 
He had a lot of handy little library boxes made 
that could be carried easily, and large enough 
to contain from five to ten books each. This 
number he thought would be as many as any 
school would want at one time. They could be 
exchanged every month or oftener if the teacher 
thought proper. 

During the Institute Tom made several whole- 
some talks. One was a plea for higher educa- 
tion. He argued that the broader the informa- 
tion the better the teacher. Teachers should 
know a great deal more than they undertake to 
teach. Culture broadens life and will broaden 
one’s usefulness in any walk of life. Superfi- 
cial knowledge, just enough to get along with, 
is not inspiring. Teachers can never lead pu- 
pils along the inspiring, soul-filling paths of 
life unless they have made the journey them- 
selves. They can not cause pupils to see and 
enjoy the beauties of higher living — living un- 
der the infiuence of the masters — unless they, 


TOM WILKINS. 


189 


themselves, have lived under that influence and 
tasted those beauties. 

While he made a few talks along this sober 
line of thinking, he also made some other talks, 
which were punctuated with a considerable 
amount of spice and caused the teachers to be 
glad when the superintendent arose for a few 
remarks. Isn’t this just a little in contrast 
with some things and some superintendents you 
know something about! Haven’t you known 
some superintendents who bored their teachers 
with useless harangues! Well, Tom had known 
some such, and had decided that he should 
study to avoid making his talks tiresome or too 
frequent. 


190 


TOM WILKINS. 


CHAPTER XIX. 

DIFFICULTIES FOR ADJUSTMENT. 

Tom was social with his fellow superintend- 
ents, loved to visit them and their institutes, 
made some pointed remarks that gained him 
many friends among the teachers of his part of 
the state. Just as it will broaden yon to visit 
other schools than your own, so it broadened 
Tom to see the work of other counties. He 
found by observation that his county was not 
the most backward, and when one evening sev- 
eral superintendents had gathered in the office 
of the one they were visiting, and ‘‘swapped’’ 
experiences, he found he had no harder time 
then the others were having and that his teach- 
ers were as loyal to him as the teachers of the 
other counties were to their superintendents. 

They drifted into a talk on the subject of the 
examination of applicants, and it was argued 
by some of them that the work of the schools of 
the state could be greatly improved by having a 
system of examining that took the work prac- 


TOM WILKINS. 


191 


tically out of the hands of the county superin- 
tendents. But such a change would necessitate 
the enactment of suitable legislation, and every 
one knows that School legislation of the right 
kind is very hard to get. 

The summer went by rapidly enough and 
Tom’s annual report was sent to the state 
superintendent in due time, the few little errors 
that had crept into it corrected, and almost be- 
fore he realized it he was visiting schools again. 
He worked away diligently, encouraging the 
teachers to systematize their work and get it 
nearer and nearer to the state course of study 
which was being used in all the schools with 
results proportionate to the zeal and ability of 
the teacher. 

He had come to a full realization of the fact 
that whatever progress the schools made would 
necessarily be made gradually, that radical 
changes would work disastrously for the schools. 
The people had to be educated up to the stand- 
ard that the schools were to attain, and educat- 
ing the people in general is very much like 
educating the children — a matter of growth, 
and frequently very slow growth at that. Dis- 


192 


TOM WILKINS. 


couragements did not check his desire to real- 
ize all the good things he wanted to realize. 

When he arrived at his home late one even- 
ing, he found a telegram summoning him to a 
distant part of the county intimating some 
trouble that he was expected to settle. He 
obeyed the summons the next morning, and 
when he arrived at the place he found the school 
closed with the teacher and the board dead- 
locked over a point in discipline. One of the 
boys had become obstreperous, and the teacher 
having made only a partial success in his at- 
tempt to administer the proper punishment had 
sent the boy home. The boy had appealed to 
the school board and one of the directors had 
told him to go back to school. The teacher ob- 
jected unless the boy made reparation of some 
kind, and finding that the board meant to take 
the side of the boy, promptly left his room and 
told the board that he would not teach so long 
as that boy was permitted to remain without 
having made due amends to the school. 

This was the situation that Tom found. J)o 
you not believe that his experience in difficulties 
of the same kind in the years gone by were of 


TOM WILKINS. 


193 


great use to him in attempting to bring these 
warring factions together? He started into his 
talk to the board with the teacher present by 
saying that a good compromise is better than a 
judgment. Then he argued with them that 
they could each afford to give up a little in the 
interest of the school. He told the teacher that 
he could afford to allow the boy to return to 
school on the guarantee of the board that his 
conduct should be right. He told the board 
that it was no less than their duty to go to the 
school house in a body and notify those boys 
who might be thoughtless in the future that 
the board thoroughly supported the teacher, 
and that they were only permitted to attend 
upon the express condition that their conduct 
should be right. After talking over it in this 
way the matter was adjusted and the school 
was moving smoothly within an hour after 
Tom’s arrival in the place. Tom took occasion 
while the board was present to give the school 
a wholesome talk that did good for all con- 
cerned, for it came from an honest heart and it 
appealed to people who were entirely reasonable 
when they laid their anger aside. 


T. W.— 13. 


194 


TOM WILKINS. 


One day a few weeks after the incident above 
related, as Tom alighted from a railroad train 
in a neighboring town, he was accosted by a 
member of the board of education, who wanted 
to see him about a particularly “tough” room 
in their school. The boys had already run one 
lady teacher out of that room and had the second 
one about on the eve of leaving. Tom heard 
his story through, went up to the school and 
visited that particular room. He found the 
conditions even worse than he had expected. 

He called the board of education together and 
gave them a sound sensible talk upon school 
government, which resulted in the entire board 
going to the school in a body and laying the 
law down to those mischievous boys, informing 
them that they would lose their permission to 
attend school if they did not yield obedience to 
the teachers. To clinch their statement they 
ordered one boy who had been the bell sheep in 
most of the mischief to leave the room and not 
to return until they gave him permission. This 
caused the boys to see things in a different 
light. They had hardly realized that there was 
any one in authority over them than the teacher. 


TOM WILKINS. 


195 


A few weeks later Tom passed through the 
same place and meeting the president of the 
board asked him about the room The president 
told him that everything was sailing smoothly, 
and also confessed that in his opinion the board 
was almost wholly to blame for the partial fail- 
ure that room had made. You may be sure 
Tom was glad to hear this vindication of his 
theory that it takes the teacher and the board 
all pulling in the same direction to make a 
school a success. 

Think it over, ye who were reared in a school 
where teachers were hired because of their 
abundance of brawn, with little consideration to 
the amount of brain. Is not the influence of 
the directors a most important factor in the 
management of any school? 

The argument had been made to him that this 
process was apt to prevent some boy from ac- 
quiring an education, thus casting him upon 
society ignorant and vicious from the education 
of the street. Well, that is one way to look at 
it, and Tom thought seriously over it, but he 
could not believe that it is right to let one pupil 
whose moral sense was very imperfect to so 


196 


TOM WILKINS. 


disturb and disorganize a school as to prevent 
twenty or thirty others from acquiring that 
education to which they are entitled. 

Would a pupil who is spending all his time 
and energy in mischief ever acquire an educa- 
tion! Wouldn’t it be just as well to drop him 
out awhile at least, and allow him to reflect over 
the results of his conduct? And wouldn’t the 
example be good for the rest of the school by 
deterring other possible recalcitrants and giving 
the others an opportunity to work uninterrupted 
by disagreeable scenes! Of course, the pupil 
who has been temporarily deprived of his edu- 
cational opportunities should know that he can 
return to school at any time that his pride and 
ill-temper are sufficiently humiliated to allow 
him to make proper amends, and on the pledge 
of the strictest obedience. 

It is a criticism on the boasted civilization of 
any community in which a lady is not permitted 
to teach school on account of unruly boys who 
are often upheld and encouraged by careless, 
unthinking parents. 


TOM WILKINS. 


197 


CHAPTER XX 

REFLECTIONS. “WHAT NEXT!’’ 

Tom Wilkins was of a reflective disposition. 
One day he found himself in his oflice with his 
correspondence cleared up, his records properly 
made, in fact his present duties about rounded 
up. He fell to thinking of the business of 
teaching in general. He reviewed his own ca- 
reer, and looked at the work of other young 
men who had started life as he did and at 
about the same time He called to mind a 
young man who had been a seat-mate of his in 
school, who had entered a mercantile life, stud- 
ied his business diligently, kept at it persistent- 
ly, and was now accounted one of the most 
snccessful business men in the county and was 
able to write his name at the bank for a sum 
many times larger than Tom could. Tom won- 
dered if the merchant had spent his time any 
more devotedly in his calling than a conscien- 
tious teacher does in his. You know he had 
not. You know that the amount of energy 


198 


TOM WILKINS. 


necessary to make a successful teacher — we said 
successful — would be sufficient to make him a 
first-class business man if he had the least 
adaptability to business. 

Besides, when one has followed most any 
business for a number of years, he reaches the 
place where he can take life easier, except in 
teaching. The longer you teach, the less desir- 
able your services are, except in the very high- 
est walks of the profession. In the grades and 
in the rural districts, you are too apt to be 
jostled out of the way by some young aspirant, 
fresh from college, who will be supposed to put 
new life into the school, and no matter how 
hard you may work, the very approach of years 
will bring the stigma of “old fogy,’’ and pave 
the way for your release, and then what! 

After you have given the best years of your 
life in the education of the youth and find that 
you are now at such an age that you cannot 
readily adjust yourself to some other profession, 
you discover that you must sacrifice the pleasure 
of residing on the old homestead to which you 
have become attached and roam out into the 
wide world and seek a position where you are 


TOM WILKINS. 


199 


not known, perhaps in a distant and likely un- 
desirable part of the country. Then you move 
your family to the community for a year, having 
no assurance that you will be permitted to re- 
main any longer, and really having no positive 
assurance that you will be permitted to remain 
that long. 

In what other business would men invest 
capital for the assurance of no more than one 
year of business! Tom had talked in this way 
to several young men who had thought of 
teaching, and had the satisfaction of seeing 
several of them in whom he was greatly interest- 
ed, located in permanent positions with good 
salaries. Positions that to be kept only required 
that the person do his duty honestly ; positions 
which were controlled by men who recognized 
that the person who gives good satisfaction and 
takes an interest in the work is the person to 
keep at the work ; positions that are not subject 
to the caprice of fickle persons who sometimes 
cast the deciding vote at school elections. He 
knew these boys were better off than he was. 

For when his term of office expires, then 
what! Why, he must take the risk of re-elec- 


200 


TOM WILKINS 


tion, with all the inconveniences of the cam- 
paign and the treachery of those who continue 
to slay Abel, whose prejudices cause them to 
east their ballot for any one except the one who 
started into life with chances equal to their own 
and has by dint of hard work and untiring 
efforts, out-distanced them in the success at- 
tained. You know there are persons who do 
not like you just because you have not wasted 
your opportunities as they have done theirs. 
Misery loves company, and feels envious of 
anything more successful than itself. 

From these thoughts he easily drifted into 
the consideration of the qualifications necessary 
to a successful teacher. The statutes lay down 
the qualifications necessary from a literary 
standpoint. In fact, if the law is carried out it 
is not easy to become a teacher. It requires 
quite a fund of knowledge Tom knew that it 
also requires many other things besides knowl- 
edge. It requires tact, judgment, earnestness, 
a real desire to do good, a high aim and an un- 
impeachable character to make a successful 
teacher. He argued that all these things are 
required to make a successful superintendent. 


TOM WILKINS. 


201 


and some more. His education can not be too 
broad, his love for the work must not stop short 
of devotion, and he must be more or less indif- 
ferent to criticism, at least he must not worry 
over it. For, if he does, he will not do much 
besides. The most conscientious things he does 
will find some one in a critical mood. The very 
things that are really of the greatest benefit will 
be mis-interpreted by some for one purpose or 
another. Even some teachers, who desire to 
solidify themselves with some school board that 
is critical and get the school, will allow them- 
selves to criticise the superintendent to further 
their own ends, not knowing that weakening 
the head of the educational interests of the 
county weakens their very profession. Some 
will also criticise the present incumbent, no 
matter who he may be, in the hope of bringing 
him into disfavor, and perhaps help a voting 
public to see that the critical one would make a 
better superintendent than the one who is 
criticised . 

Then Tom began to think of the qualifications 
of a superintendent from a legal stand-point. 
In the great state of Illinois, he must be either 


202 


TOM WILKINS. 


a male or a female over the age of twenty-one 
years, but he does not need to know his alpha- 
bet, so far as literary qualifications are con- 
cerned, and he may be a worn-out lawyer, doc- 
tor, or demagogue, or most anything thing else. 
He might even be a candidate who had failed to 
secure some other political position to which he 
had aspired and was given this nomination to 
appease him and his friends. He is not required 
to have any experience as a teacher; he does 
not need the judgment necessary to discriminate 
between the good teachers and the other kind. 
Isn’t it about time the great state of Illinois — 
and some others, for that matter — did some- 
thing about the matter? 

Oh, you say the people would not elect an 
incompetent over a professional teacher to so 
important an office! Well, you have our sym- 
pathy; you know very little about polities. 

In looking over the law, he discovered that 
even school directors are required to be able to 
read, but there is nothing more required of the 
superintendent who is to direct the educational 
forces of the county and work for the advance- 
ment of the schools, than to be able to get votes. 


TOM WILKINS. 


203 


Under these conditions it is not at all sur- 
prising that much of the best talent in the 
profession seeks positions elsewhere when they 
give the matter serious consideration. In fact, 
Tom almost believed that that teacher is most 
fortunate who seeks employment elsewhere 
before he is too far advanced in years to be 
useful. His teaching will have proven a good 
thing for him for it will fix his education and 
if he can then secure a position that yields a 
fair remuneration with some promise of perma- 
nency he will have some opportunity to use 
what he has gained in a way that shall make 
his life comfortable. 

Why this state of affairs when everyone 
knows that the brightest minds and the loftiest 
characters are needed in the divine work of 
teaching and supervision! 

Tom followed these reflections with the con- 
solatory thought that the whole-souled, good- 
hearted, self-sacrificing teachers of the country 
would keep the conditions from getting as de- 
plorable as they could get under so imperfect a 
system of education. 


204 


TOM WILKINS. 


CHAPTER XXL 

A POLITICAL TRAP. 

But let US not get gloomy as Tom did in his 
reflections in the previous chapter. Life is too 
short to spend in fretting over things that do 
not go to suit us. There are real pleasures to 
he found in the work of the teacher. What a 
wonderfully satisfying thing it is to be able to 
lead some bright mind into higher walks of 
life. If it were not for the love of teaching 
entertained by so large a portion of our educa- 
tors the profession would be lacking in people 
to fill the positions. 

In the school year that followed Tom found 
that the usual twenty-five percent of the teach- 
ers had left the profession and their places had 
been filled with young teachers for the most 
part. Some of these had had a term or two of 
Normal training, but* most of them were fresh 
from the schools of the county. He had talked 
to them at the Institute and the teachers’ meet- 
ings; had tried to impress them with the im- 


TOM WILKINS. 


205 


porta nee of the work they were undertaking, 
the necessity of doing the very best for the 
pupils under their control. 

In visiting the schools he tried to call upon 
these young teachers as early in the term as 
possible, thinking that what help he could be to 
them would be of greater importance if it came 
early than if it came at the close of the term. 

Often he would take charge of a class and 
conduct a recitation, or he would give the 
school a wholesome talk, and his experience 
had been such that his talks always made a good 
impression, and the teacher and the pupils were 
glad for him to take a part of their time. The 
pupils were encouraged to greater efforts, and 
the teacher almost invariably said that teaching 
was easier after he had made the school a talk 
than it was before. 

He met many school officers and patrons on 
his rounds of visitation, and took such opportu- 
nities as offered to say a word that would be for 
the good of the cause of education. You know 
that a person of his genial disposition and 
earnestness is always sure to have many friends. 
His friends were proud of him, and more than 


206 


TOM WILKINS. 


one of them intimated that he would be required 
to make the race again at the close of the pres- 
ent term. Tom said nothing about his future 
prospects or his desires in the matter. He 
knew secretly that he was always happiest when 
he resolved never to tamper with politics again. 
But still he did not know what he should do 
about it. He appreciated the friendship of his 
friends. 

One day while Tom was thinking over these 
things and many others (for he was always 
thinking about something pertaining to schools 
when he was awake) he was greeted by a gen- 
tleman who came into his office rather suddenly. 
He was from some remote part of the county. 
His son had taken the examination twice and 
had failed each time, and he had come to talk to 
the superintendent about it. He seemed awk- 
ward and embarrassed, not being accustomed to 
approaching officials on official business, for his 
humble walks of life in an agricultural district 
did not lead him often to the court house. 

He asked Tom timidly what he thought of his 
boy. 

“Why,’’ said Tom frankly, “I think he is a 


TOM WILKINS. 


207 


fine boy and you ought to be very proud of 
him, but he is not ready to teach school. He 
needs to go to school more. I havn’t a doubt 
that he will some day be able to pass the exam- 
ination, and I feel sure that he has the qualities 
that should make him a good teacher some day, 
but he needs training.” 

“That might all be as you say,” replied the 
visitor, “but he is so anxious to teach the home 
school this year to earn a little money for him- 
self, that I promised him I would see you about 
it. You see he knows that my family is large 
and somewhat expensive and he does not like 
to be any more expense to me, so he thought if 
he could get a school he could help himself to 
go away to school next spring.” 

“He certainly shows the right spirit,” said 
Tom, “and I feel like encouraging him, but it 
would be much better for him to go away to 
school before he begins teaching, and get ready 
for the work. Then he can have some hope of 
climbing in the work. I am a firm believer in 
the theory that we should prepare before we 
begin.” 

“Well, now,” said the visitor, “I think, too. 


208 


TOM WILKINS. 


that would probably be better, but he has his 
heart so set upon it that I hate to disappoint 
him, and I would be willing to pay you some- 
thing extra to get him through this year.’’ 

Before Tom knew what he was about he 
almost lost his temper. The audacity of a full- 
grown man making such a proposition to him ! 
If the statement had come from the boy or from 
some others that he knew of he would not 
have been so much surprised. He proceeded to 
speak his mind very plainly on the curse of 
official bribery, and asked his visitor if he 
thought him that kind of an official. He timid- 
ly answered that he did not, and that he would 
not have made the proposition if one of his 
friends had not told him that he had “worked” 
county superintendents that way before. Tom 
pressed him so closely that he learned the name 
of the one who had given such advice. The 
visitor had promised not to give the name, but 
Tom had shrewdly drawn it from him. 

He recognized the name at once, and knew 
that its possessor had worked very hard against 
him in the campaign, that he was an all-around 
political schemer, and would have wanted noth- 


TOM WILKINS. 


209 


iug better thau this to use against Torn in a 
future political campaign How easily a less 
thoughtless person might have fallen into the 
trap ! 

A quiet talk followed in which Tom told his 
visitor how important it is that a teacher be 
strictly honest, and that if his boy should re- 
ceive a certificate under such false circumstances 
he might develop into a rascal and drift into a 
life of of crime, winding up perhaps in the 
state prison. Tom talked feelingly and made 
the right kind of an impression on his visitor, 
who said: 

“I know you ai’e right, and I shall send my 
boy away to school next winter. I can hardly 
spare the money but I will squeeze through 
some way. I can better go to some inconven- 
ience than take the risk of ruining my boy. I 
want to thank you for the kind words you have 
said, and while you and I hold opposite political 
views, I pledge to support you should you ever 
be a candidate again.’’ 

The visitor left and we assure you that Tom 
felt much better and happier than if he had put 
many dollars of corrupt money into his pocket. 

T. W.— 14. 


210 


TOIVr WILKINS. 


He felt that he had acted the man and had 
proven to a doubting* Thomas that there are still 
men in the world; men who can not be bribed 
into doing what they know to be wrong. We 
do enough of things wrong through ignorance 
without increasing the number by deliberately 
perjuring ourselves. 

It is safe to say that Tom had gained one 
more very warm friend as a result of his man- 
hood, and had in one community a friend who 
would stand by him against all calumny that 
might come up, and it comes up sometimes, es- 
pecially in political campaigns. 

Tom could not help thinking that, even leav- 
ing himself out of the question, it would be 
much better for the school system if the office 
of county superintendent could be divorced from 
politics. But he knew the old politicians would 
never willingly submit to this, for they wanted 
the aspirant to that office to contribute largely 
to the campaign funds, and if the office were 
taken out of politics, they could not “trade’’ on 
the “tail of the ticket.” You say they never 
do such things! Take a few lessons from prac- 
tical personal experience and see ! 


TOM WILKINS. 


211 


CHAPTER XXII. 

A PEDAGOGUE IN A JUSTICE’S COURT. 

While passing along one of the streets of the 
county seat one clay, Tom overheard one of a 
crowd of “curbstone ornaments,” such as may 
be found in almost every county seat in South- 
ern Illinois, and in some other states, say to the 
others, “I tell you that fellow has a soft snap,” 
referring to Tom, whose passing had called him 
to mind. Tom walked on apparently not hear- 
ing the remark, but he “laughed up his sleeve.” 

Yes, indeed, it is a snap to ride out in the 
coldest, rawest, most disagreeable weather to 
visit schools ; to keep all the troubles of all the 
districts in the county on your mind at once 5 to 
examine and pass upon applicants and know 
that almost every one who fails will be a politi- 
cal and personal enemy forever after, and yet to 
know that to license all the crude material that 
applies would be the ruination of the schools, 
both as to salary and usefulness 5 to hear petty 
complaints and answer petty letters, which. 


212 


TOM WILKINS. 


while they did not seem to be of much import- 
ance, still can not be neglected; indeed, all of 
these, and many others not here enumerated, 
constitute a ^‘snap^’ of the first water. 

Such is a too common opinion of the work of 
a county superintendent, and yet if the duties 
be properly performed there is no more import- 
ant work, nor any that can produce greater re- 
sults for the upbuilding of our great American 
Institutions, than the work of the county super- 
intendent. 

Going farther down the street he noticed a 
curious, gaping crowd gathered in front of the 
office of a local justice of the peace on the oppo- 
site side of the street. He did not cross over 
for he did not wish to bring forth any more un- 
charitable remarks. From a friend whom he 
met he learned that the city superintendent of 
schools was being tried on a charge of assault, 
his offense being the punishing of a boy for 
insubordination to the rules of the school. 

The trial ended as the two talked about the 
case and a shout fi*om a crowd of half -grown 
boys who had played “hookey” to hear the 
trial, told them too plainly that the judgment 


TOM WILKINS. 


213 


of the court was against the superintendent. 
Tom did not discuss the merits of the ease with 
his friend, or question the justice of the judg- 
ment from a strictly legal point of view, but he 
remarked that the encouragement to disobe- 
dience that this episode would give the restless 
element of the school would hurt the city much 
more than the payment of a paltry fine would 
hurt the city superintendent. For he was not 
tied there for life and could go elsewhere if he 
wished to, but the city is permanent and the 
restless class will always be present and with 
this kind of encouragement are apt to develop 
in such a manner as to furnish more or less 
work for the criminal courts of the future. 

So it is that the path of progress is blocked 
at many points. After the educational inflences 
of a county have worked earnestly and made 
some slow progress, some such incident as the 
above is precipitated and a backward step is 
taken from which it requires time to recover. 

Tom could not help thinking that if the rest- 
less element in that school could be made to 
understand that their privilege of attending 
school depended upon their conduct, and that if 


214 


TOM WILKINS. 


their parents also thoroughly understood the 
the same point, the discipline of the school 
would be much better, and the influence for 
good be increased. 

Notwithstanding all these gloomy features, 
Tom continued cheerful and was just as anxious 
as ever to do as much as possible to advance the 
cause of education. 


TOM WILKINS. 


215 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

THE COUNTY GRADUATION. 

As we have remarked before, Tom was social 
with his fellow superintendents and lost no op- 
portunity of meeting with them on any occasion 
that might prove of mutual benefit. On one of 
those bright and delightful June days with 
which Southern Illinois is particularly blessed, 
one of those balmy days that excite in one the 
real joy of living, whose cooling breezes and 
beautiful sunshine, together with the sweet 
perfume of roses, the sight of the beautiful 
green grasses and the joyful songs of a thou- 
sand birds make one exult and induce the live- 
liest and most pleasant thoughts j it was on one 
of these days that Tom had met with a dozen 
other county superintendents in a neighboring 
city to discuss the educational problems of the 
hour and endeavor to find some solution for at 
least a few of the puzzling things that had 
suggested themselves to one and another of the 
superintendents. 


216 


TOM WILKINS. 


Tom always found these conferences helpful, 
and had learned that the other superintendents 
were meeting with much the same obstacles that 
he was finding on his rounds of visitation and 
in his office work. He had felt that this must 
be true, for human nature does not change with 
county lines, and it had occurred to him that it 
must change to a considerable extent to get rid 
of some of the things that obstruct the real 
progress of education. 

He noticed, too that there was variety among 
the county superintendents. There were a few 
of the pompous, know-it-all kind, who imagined 
that when they had spoken upon any given 
subject that that exhausted it. They had not 
come to ask questions, but to answer them. 
But Tom did not let this bother him or keep him 
from getting a great deal of good out of these 
meetings. For he had lived long enough in the 
world and his experience had been sufficiently 
varied for him to conclude that no one person 
had a monopoly of the world’s knowledge. 

After discussing a number of subjects and 
about exhausting the topics the various super- 
intendents had noted down on their slips and 


TOM WILKINS. 


217 


brought with them for enlightenment, one of 
the superintendents asked the assembly what 
they thought of the new county graduation 
project that had been tried in a number of the 
central and northern counties of the state. Now 
Tom had had this subject upon his mind some 
time and wanted to introduce it into his county. 
He had read extensive reports of several county 
graduations in some of his favorite school 
journals and the matter impressed him very 
favorably. 

It developed that he had about as much in- 
formation on the subject as anyone else present, 
and he was asked to outline the plan. 

The plan called for the graduation of pupils 
from the eighth grade to the high schools, and 
particularly for the graduation of pupils of the 
rural schools where there was nothing higher 
than the eighth grade. The argument in favor 
of it was that pupils would have a definite aim 
in their work and having achieved it would be 
ready to enter high school somewhere. Ever 
since the school system had been organized in 
Illinois the country schools had closed each 
year without anything special to mark the 


218 


TOM WILKINS. 


progress that had been made. In fact, the 
larger pupils having been over the same studies 
a number of times, had become weary of the 
monotony, having no particular goal for their 
ambitions, had very little ambition, and being 
useful on the farm had dropped out of school 
long before the term ended. Sometimes they 
gathered at the school house on the closing day 
and listened to the “pieces” of the little ones 
and joined in the few songs attempted on the 
last day, and sometimes they took their baskets 
of dinner along and enjoyed a school picnic in 
the grove. But there was nothing of education- 
al achievement to mark the end of the term. 

The county graduation was intended to relieve 
all this feeling of awkwardness and uncertainty 
as to what had been accomplished and give a 
new impetus to school work. The county 
superintendent was to prepare a set of examina- 
tion questions and distribute them to the various 
townships. The pupils who had passed the 
eighth grade examination successfully in the 
various schools of the township were admitted 
to the final examination in the town school or 
one of the larger country schools in the town- 


TOM WILKINS. 


219 


ship. This examination was placed in charge 
of one of the teachers and all the teachers of 
the township were expected to be present and 
assist in grading the papers. After these 
papers were graded by the teachers they were 
all transmitted as graded to the county superin- 
tendent to be examined and passed upon by him 
and the pupils notified of the result. 

At a given date the successful pupils were 
asked to come to the county seat and participate 
in the graduating exercises of the county, which 
were to consist of certain literary efforts on the 
part of the pupils themselves, if the class were 
not too large, or a class address by some distin- 
guished educator if the first plan were not prac- 
ticable. As far as the plan had been used these 
exercises had been held in connection with the 
county Institute. 

Tom told of a county in which graduating ex- 
ercises were conducted that year. The county 
was about the size of his own and the class had 
numbered fourteen from the various schools of 
the county. The reports that he had read of it 
said that the examination had been very com- 
plete and all the papers had been carefully 


220 


TOM WILKINS. 


criticised by the teachers and again by the su- 
perintendent. The class had acquitted itself 
very creditably and there was an uplift of edu- 
cational spirit as a result of it, and Tom told his 
hearers that he intended to work out the scheme 
in his county the next year. 

At the close of Tom^s remarks, which had 
impressed all who heard them with the thor- 
oughness with which he had handled the subject, 
another superintendent arose and said it would 
probably be well for the assembly to hear a 
little of the other side of the subject. He told 
of a certain county in the state in which the 
county graduating system had been instituted 
by a very conscientious superintendent who had 
worked along the very lines Tom had explained 
with good results. This superintendent was 
succeeded later by another less conscientious, 
who saw that he could ‘‘work” the graduating 
“racket” to increase his popularity and proba- 
bly perpetuate himself in office. Several things 
he would change though. He would have more 
graduates and please more families. So he 
threw down the high standard that his prede- 
cessor had established, made his examinations 


TOM WILKINS. 


221 


more or less of a sham and a farce, saying that, 
of course, the pupils are not all perfect, none of 
us are. “The master’s degree lies farther on.” 

The result was the few graduates of his pred- 
ecessor jumped to seventy-five the first time he 
tried it and passed the hundred mark the second 
year and kept on increasing. And the state su- 
perintendent addressed the class and the parents 
attended and everyone praised the county su- 
perintendent. 

Of course, some of these pupils were bright 
and did well, and later made good records in 
high schools they attended, but many of them 
never saw the inside of a school room again 
as students, having graduated and feeling that 
going to the home school another year would be 
humiliating, did not go, though, in fact, it 
would have done them good to do so. 

When the speaker had closed his criticism, 
Tom took the floor again and said that while he 
recognized that there were some small men in 
the county superintendent’s office occasionally, 
and while some persons might, for personal 
reasons, abuse the matter of graduation, still he 
believed there is much merit in the system if 


222 


TOM WILKINS. 


honestly conducted. We would not get any- 
where if we stopped just because some persons 
abused their opportunities to do a world of good 
just in order to hold a grip upon an office, and 
he closed by saying again that he meant to try 
the plan. 

The meeting, which had been very beneficial 
to all, closed and Tom’s outline and defense of 
the plan elicited much favorable comment. 


TOM WILKINS. 


223 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

IN CONCLUSION. 

We have told this much of the story of Tom 
Wilkins for the encouragement of those youth 
of humble birth who need encouragement, for 
those teachers who are plodding along against 
the trials that beset those who undertake to 
train the youth of the land, for the awakening 
of the parents to the sense of the obligations 
that rest upon them in the matter of educating 
their children, and for the purpose of bringing 
to the minds of members of boards of directors 
the importance of co-operation with the teachers 
and the union of sentiment that should exist 
among those who have charge of the educational 
system of the community. If we have succeed- 
ed in causing some one to think seriously over 
the problems of school, our aim has been at- 
tained. If we have dropped a hint that will 
encourage some educational wayfarer, we are 
happy at the result. 

Let us understand that Tom is wiser than 


DEC 8 1913 


224 TOM WILKINS. 

ever he was before, and with his term drawing? 
to a close in the midst of success, and the skir- 
mish line of another campaign forming, he is 
overflowing with a desire to leave the schools in 
a prosperous condition should he decide to stay 
out of the arena of politics. 

In a comfortable home of their own with a 
few of the luxuries of life, and with loving 
hearts that look always to each other’s comfort, 
with the higher ideals of life held forth and the 
baser things excluded, let us leave Tom and his 
happy family with hope that this much of the 
story of his life and work and the picture of true 
happiness that exists in this rather model Amer- 
ican home shall be of some encouragement to 
some who read these pages 

May all the good they have tried to bring to 
others be returned to them as they advance in 
years, and may the remembrance of these official 
years be pleasant to them the rest of their days ! 





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